Author's note: I just wanted to say thanks very much Zomaelgustar the
Wanker (I love that name) for reviewing the story. I was afraid I wasn't
going to get any reviews, but, woo, here I am. So thanks again, and here's
chapter four. (By the way, I de-selected the "don't accept anonymous
reviews". Thanks x.x)
Jack awoke at his accustomed time, sluggishly and reluctantly departing from his bed in which dreams of money and prosperity had lulled him into a comatose state of serenity. He clambered into his overalls, letting them hang limply about his waist before pulling on an over shirt. Emitting an enormous yawn, the farmer latched each strap securely in the front, and then fitted his hat, pulling the bill down firmly on the back until it hugged his skull. Finally, gathering his rucksack, Jack advanced toward the door and threw it open to face the blaringly gleeful sun and another day of work.
What he saw was rain and Cliff.
The farmer blinked at the peculiar sight of his new roommate digging his axe into another stump. Absently, Jack flipped open the clasp of his rucksack to find the tool Cliff was currently using missing from his assortment of utensils. Blinking curiously once more, the farmer looked over his shoulder into the house where a bundle of sheets was apparent, though there was no slumbering vagabond within the folds of cloth.
Jack observed Cliff; the only clothing he owned dampened to a dull, unappealing color due to the heavy blanket of rain descending on the farm, the previously vibrant handkerchief wrapped around his forehead nearly slipping from his skull from the tremendous downpour. Jack's previous conception of the man was beginning to do a 180; Cliff, who had appeared to be a work-detesting paranoid was now blossoming into a persevering romantic.
In the span of two days as well.
"Cliff!" Jack called over the boisterous rain. "You shouldn't be working during a storm, you'll get sick!"
"It's fine!" He returned, splitting the stump and tossing the fragments of lumber aside. "I was digging up weeds this morning and found a red nut! I have no idea why, but now I'm full of energy!"
The farmer jogged over to his seemingly delusional counterpart and halted his arms just as he attempted to swing them downward on the helpless wood. "Please, Cliff, you already got hurt yesterday. Take it easy for now."
Reluctantly, Cliff lowered the axe and offered it submissively to Jack. "All right."
He accepted it and stuck it in his rucksack. "I'll go up with you to the mountains for today to show you what to ship, ok? I shouldn't be working either...it's really coming down."
"Yeah..." Cliff murmured, looking up. He observed the dizzying ballet of rain droplets descending on Okera, paying no heed to ones that collided with his face; even into his eyes...he was just mesmerized by their beauty. In Moondrop, Cliff had never paid any mind to the rain, only trudged in despair and self-pity through the thickening goo of earth that the imposing water had created. But now there was a tranquility; a mysteriousness to the rain...an effervescent quality.
He looked back at Jack with a smile on his face.
Up in Moon Mountain, Jack pointed out various items, identified them to Cliff, and then placed them in his rucksack for the shipping bin. Eventually, after they'd collected all that the rucksack would hold, Jack and Cliff began meandering down the route they'd come from when the farmer murmured,
"I don't really feel like going back to Okera yet...mind if we walk around town a little bit?"
Cliff shrugged. "I don't mind. I should probably re-introduce myself to the village anyway."
Taking a turn at the crossroads to the left side of the more industrious section of town, Jack and Cliff made their way through the desolate streets surrounding the potion shop, midwife's shack, the mayor's mansion...and the hauntingly familiar library that stood but a few meters away from Jack. He paused at the sight of it, having never been to that particular part of town before, causing Cliff to halt in his tracks as well.
The farmer's eyes flickered.
"Thank you for showing me..."
"Jack, are you ok...?"
...An old fairy tale book...?
"I feel strange...this place is so...I don't know, it's so familiar to me..." Abruptly, he became quiet, as voices began to resound in his mind; no visual images...just...voices...
"When will you come next time?"
"We'll visit again next summer. Right, Jack?"
"Really? Will you come again?"
...The girl is about to cry...
"What? For me? Is that OK? Thank you. I'll take care of it."
"Come on...say goodbye to little..."
...The girl was waving for a long time...
...That was...
Jack awoke at his accustomed time, sluggishly and reluctantly departing from his bed in which dreams of money and prosperity had lulled him into a comatose state of serenity. He clambered into his overalls, letting them hang limply about his waist before pulling on an over shirt. Emitting an enormous yawn, the farmer latched each strap securely in the front, and then fitted his hat, pulling the bill down firmly on the back until it hugged his skull. Finally, gathering his rucksack, Jack advanced toward the door and threw it open to face the blaringly gleeful sun and another day of work.
What he saw was rain and Cliff.
The farmer blinked at the peculiar sight of his new roommate digging his axe into another stump. Absently, Jack flipped open the clasp of his rucksack to find the tool Cliff was currently using missing from his assortment of utensils. Blinking curiously once more, the farmer looked over his shoulder into the house where a bundle of sheets was apparent, though there was no slumbering vagabond within the folds of cloth.
Jack observed Cliff; the only clothing he owned dampened to a dull, unappealing color due to the heavy blanket of rain descending on the farm, the previously vibrant handkerchief wrapped around his forehead nearly slipping from his skull from the tremendous downpour. Jack's previous conception of the man was beginning to do a 180; Cliff, who had appeared to be a work-detesting paranoid was now blossoming into a persevering romantic.
In the span of two days as well.
"Cliff!" Jack called over the boisterous rain. "You shouldn't be working during a storm, you'll get sick!"
"It's fine!" He returned, splitting the stump and tossing the fragments of lumber aside. "I was digging up weeds this morning and found a red nut! I have no idea why, but now I'm full of energy!"
The farmer jogged over to his seemingly delusional counterpart and halted his arms just as he attempted to swing them downward on the helpless wood. "Please, Cliff, you already got hurt yesterday. Take it easy for now."
Reluctantly, Cliff lowered the axe and offered it submissively to Jack. "All right."
He accepted it and stuck it in his rucksack. "I'll go up with you to the mountains for today to show you what to ship, ok? I shouldn't be working either...it's really coming down."
"Yeah..." Cliff murmured, looking up. He observed the dizzying ballet of rain droplets descending on Okera, paying no heed to ones that collided with his face; even into his eyes...he was just mesmerized by their beauty. In Moondrop, Cliff had never paid any mind to the rain, only trudged in despair and self-pity through the thickening goo of earth that the imposing water had created. But now there was a tranquility; a mysteriousness to the rain...an effervescent quality.
He looked back at Jack with a smile on his face.
Up in Moon Mountain, Jack pointed out various items, identified them to Cliff, and then placed them in his rucksack for the shipping bin. Eventually, after they'd collected all that the rucksack would hold, Jack and Cliff began meandering down the route they'd come from when the farmer murmured,
"I don't really feel like going back to Okera yet...mind if we walk around town a little bit?"
Cliff shrugged. "I don't mind. I should probably re-introduce myself to the village anyway."
Taking a turn at the crossroads to the left side of the more industrious section of town, Jack and Cliff made their way through the desolate streets surrounding the potion shop, midwife's shack, the mayor's mansion...and the hauntingly familiar library that stood but a few meters away from Jack. He paused at the sight of it, having never been to that particular part of town before, causing Cliff to halt in his tracks as well.
The farmer's eyes flickered.
"Thank you for showing me..."
"Jack, are you ok...?"
...An old fairy tale book...?
"I feel strange...this place is so...I don't know, it's so familiar to me..." Abruptly, he became quiet, as voices began to resound in his mind; no visual images...just...voices...
"When will you come next time?"
"We'll visit again next summer. Right, Jack?"
"Really? Will you come again?"
...The girl is about to cry...
"What? For me? Is that OK? Thank you. I'll take care of it."
"Come on...say goodbye to little..."
...The girl was waving for a long time...
...That was...