A Dream. A Hope. A Scar. A Mission
Chapter 9: Every Breath You Take
Winter came unexpectedly with frosty cold weather. Snow was beginning to fall by Winter's third day, and it came down hard. There was solitude to the season though. Everything was bleak, but it was quiet and calm, as if everything was resting, including the farm.
There was seemingly nothing to do in the morning except feed the animals, and income was cut shorter than usual with having only one egg bearing chicken and two shearable sheep to line my pockets. My calf, Little Miss, wasn't of age yet to give milk, even though she certainly wasn't little in any aspect. The rest of the barn was filled with the cows I was caring for. I figured that this would be what I would do for money this season. Odd jobs that nobody else wanted to do would be my main flux of income during this season.
Soon enough the cows under my care found a more suitable living space two villages away, and Doug paid me handsomely. But I knew this cash flow couldn't hold out forever. I began to skim around for other ways to make money. I delved into the papers that were sitting on my newly constructed kitchen table. To no success with the paper, I traveled into the living room and flipped on the T.V. Fortunately, there was one particular offer for work that was being advertised. The mine in Moon Mountain would be opened in three days, and I could literally go digging for gold!
...
Working as a miner was tough work, but it wasn't anything I wasn't used too. All I ever found was some crude iron ore that was used in all sorts of various things around the village, such as making tools, that would, in the end, come back to me. On very rare occasions I would find moonstone, which was used in the flowers during the firefly festival. I also heard rumors about precious gems such as blue rock, and a highly conductive, highly dense, rare metal, but I could never find such things. I found Potana roots as well, which served the Potion Master's needs very well. These roots were important ingredients in medicine.
I was never really obligated to go to the mines, but I went everyday anyways. After the third day of working in the mines though, I came home to see an odd sight. Much to my surprise, a piece of cake was setting on the small table in my living and a card that had " Jack" written on the front in cursive lettering. As I opened the card I noticed that a little too much time and effort was put into the card. Well, more time was put into the card than I would ever put in a card, anyways. The card was an interesting read, but it seemed almost sad.
Dear Jack,
I thought you would be at home for the Thanksgiving festival today, but you surprised me. I kind of like it this way better anyways. Then I don't have to say all this to you in person. We'll have a quiet Thanksgiving dinner at the Green Ranch now at least. We always have a special guest for Thanksgiving dinner, but that guest will just have to be Cliff this year. My Dad isn't the fondest person of you, but Ann's Dad insisted that you be invited since you didn't have any real family here. You seem too busy for us though, and you probably need the rest anyways. Happy Thanksgiving.
~Karen
P.S. Good job at the horse races. It slipped my mind to tell you earlier.
I clenched the letter in my fist and ran out the door. I was determined to make this dinner at the Green Ranch. I didn't want to spend this day alone. I completely forgot about Thanksgiving, but was going to try and make it up. I jogged down to the Green Farm to find that the house was alive with commotion. I could see people inside, but I couldn't make out any particular people. Regardless of what Karen thought, this was the closest thing to a family I had.
...
I tried to calm myself down as I knocked on the front door. I waited a few moments for the door to open, but eventually I saw an orange haired figure move towards the door. As the door peaked open I saw the last member of the Green family to welcome me into the house. Grey had a strange smirk on his face, but around him I could see Doug conversing with Karen's Dad, Donavan. Cliff was sitting at the table, looking impatiently at Grey to return to the table to start their conversation over. Karen's mother was quickly bringing food out of a nearby room and setting it on the table, followed by Karen and Ann, who brought out more food. No one seemed to notice that I was at the door, except one other person who was sitting across the table from Cliff.
" Come on in. Happy Thanksgiving" Grey said with the warmest smile that he could manage, which still wasn't very bright.
As I walked in, everyone collapsed on me, greeting me and welcoming me into the household and wishing me Happy Thanksgiving. Even Karen's Dad welcomed me into the Green household.
" So you decided to show up, huh?" Cliff nudged at me.
" Welcome son, make yourself at home here!" Doug chimed in
" Happy Thanksgiving, kid" Karen's Dad wished me, for what it was worth.
" Hey Jack, I didn't think you would make it" Kai told me with his better side.
Ann and Karen's Mother both rushed out of the kitchen, followed by Karen, who looked like she was being drug along to a surprise that she didn't care to see. The moment she saw me though, her eyes brightened up, but only for a moment.
" Happy Thanksgiving, Jack! This is a surprise!" Ann greeted.
" Welcome Jack. Come on in and enjoy yourself" Karen's Mother invited me, but a strange sense of held back emotion filled me as she spoke to me. " You're just in time, we're about to set down for dinner."
" Thank you, everyone. This is the biggest Thanksgiving I've ever been at!" I said with a smile.
Doug nudged me by my shoulder. " Sit down right here Jack, and get ready for the best meal you've had in years! Kathy always makes the best Thanksgiving dinners!" Doug cheered with a smile towards Karen's Mother.
I was set down next to Kai in the middle of the table. Slowly everyone began to take their seats. Well, all the men did anyways. Cliff sat across from me, with Grey to his left and two empty seats to his right. Doug and Karen's Dad each took one head of the table. Now there was only one empty seat to my left and two at the corner across the table. Finally the three women came out with the last of the food and took their seats. Karen sat to my left, which made the thoughts in the back of my mind jump up and down. My immediate thoughts though must have punched my recessive thoughts in the face because they disappeared as I calmed myself down.
" Let us all say grace before we begin" Doug announced. With that, we all said a short prayer before we began to dig into the turkey, potatoes, cranberries, and muffins.
At fist the whole table was silent except when food would need to be passed around, but once everyone settled down a little conversations started going up all over the table. I stayed quite though, waiting for someone to start a conversation with me. Cliff was preoccupied with Ann, which discouraged me. I had to sit and watch a girl take my best buddy away from me. It reminded me off why I wanted to stay away from girls. I learned over the course of High School that it was a lot more fun to be without any 'obligations' to someone. But how could I say that with some one like Karen sitting next to me? I had to say something to her. It wouldn't be right if I didn't. She's the one who invited me here anyways.
" I found the card you left on the table" I mentioned to her.
" Obviously" Karen said. The words were sharp, but she smiled at me to reassure that she didn't want to start a fight.
" I was wondering why you didn't congratulate me at the horse race. I didn't even see you once the race was over" I told her.
" Maybe I'll tell you later" she reassured me. " How've you been?"
" Alright. I was wondering why I was the only one working in the mines today" I told her with a laugh.
Karen gave a short laugh as well. " You must be the only man alive he worked on Thanksgiving."
" I try" I told her with a smile.
The noise level at the table was dying down again. Doug seemed determined to keep the holiday as festive as possible.
" So Jack, how's the farm been lately?" Doug asked me.
" It's been alright" I told the table. " It's been a little hard to keep myself afloat this season. Anyone have any odd jobs for me?" I said with a laugh.
" Yeah, I have lots of stuff you can do, if you're up to it" Karen's Dad informed me. He was the last person I expected to give me a job. " Just come by tomorrow and I'll give you a list of stuff I need done."
" Yeah, I can just imagine all the fixer-uppers at your place Donavan!" Doug said with a chuckle.
With Doug's short response to Karen's Dad the level of commotion at the table rose back up to it's normal level. Within minutes everyone was conversing about all sorts of different topics.
" So." I began, not really sure about what to say.
" So. what?" Karen questioned. " Theres a million things you could mean by that, you know."
" Well, what do you think I mean by it?" I said with a smile.
" You meant that you were at a loss of words and didn't know how to continue our conversation, but in order to be polite to me you are trying to anyways" Karen explained.
" Yeah, that was kind of the idea of it" I laughed in embarrassment. " I would consider it a success, too" I said with a sly grin.
" Well, where do you suppose we take this conversation from here then?" Karen questioned. Now I knew she was just messing with my head. That was one of the reasons I stopped dating after high school. Girls are the most confusing and complex beings on the face of the Earth. I think if we were ever invaded by aliens from the next multiverse over, women would be our only chance of survival. The aliens would realize how confusing this invasion thing could be and halt the attack. Eh, I figured I would play along with her.
" Anywhere but where we're at right now" I said, looking into her eyes.
" But we're not talking about anything. How can you run a race without a starting line?" Karen toyed.
" How long can we keep this up?" I joked back at her.
" How long are you willing too?" Karen joked back.
" How long are you going to procrastinate the answer?" I sent back.
" How about we just finish dinner first?" Karen suggested. I had to agree. We finished our meals in silence.
I humored myself with the sight of Cliff talking quietly to Ann at the table. It was like a dog marrying a cat. Cliff was obviously in way over his head, the poor guy. Yet how did I know what I was doing? I was eating dinner with one of the best looking girls in the village, and I liked it. I liked it, and I didn't like realizing that I liked it. Why was sympathizing for Cliff? What about poor me? Poor me was getting his butt kicked in the level headedness game. I hadn't known this feeling since I was seventeen. It was definitely time to do something drastic. I needed to get out of here with my common sense in tact, but my common sense was just shot through the heart.
" Want to try this talking thing again?" I questioned with a smirk.
" Well I don't know how well it will work out, you know? You're on that farm all the time and no one gets to see you. You probably don't have time to talk all that much, unless you talk to that cow you won" Karen said with a laugh.
" I can try, can't I?" I joked back to her.
" How is it our conversations never go anywhere except nowhere? Karen asked.
" Oh I don't know" I said with a sigh.
" That's the exact sort of thing I'm talking about! You don't even really answer questions. You need more practice with your mouth, Jack" Karen laughed innocently.
... Dinner was over soon enough, and it was time for me to take my leave. I couldn't be let go without at least a piece of pie of the pumpkin variety. I gave my thanks and good byes, along with Cliff, and left into the night.
Cliff stayed silent for the majority of the walk. I assumed he was lazily dreaming about his, dare I say, girlfriend? Just before we reached the farm though, he decided to give one last good bye, albeit a bit odd.
" You got what Karen meant when she said no one ever sees you, right Jack?" Cliff asked with a grin.
" Do tell, oh wise master of the mountain" I jolted sarcastically.
" It means she wants to see you more often" Cliff said with a sly smile. But as quickly as he gave me the message, he was gone, walking home towards his cave. I laughed at the idea of Cliff indulging himself and his 'relationship' with those mountain creatures. I still wanted to know about those little' guys.
As I walked into the house to collapse on my bed I found myself speaking aloud.
" I'll have to watch out for her. Every breath she takes. Every move she makes." I collapsed onto the bed without another word for a good night's sleep.
...
Author's Note: Yes, I did just slaughter everything Natsume's idea of a Thanksgiving Festival stands for. Perhaps I changed it because I have a brain, which allows for all sorts of things. I hope that was enough crap (some people call it fluff, I guess. Not to sure on the actual definition of this cult word, however. Thus, I may be wrong.) for all of you! I wish I could say it will be the last chapter like it for awhile, but then how could I fill in two more chapters about Jack's first winter? I know that the stuff in this chapter almost seems "kiddy", but I am only fifteen years old. Then again, I make reference to the brain comment, which explicitly allows me achieve and sustain a mental state that clearly defies my physical state. Keep on reviewing, too. They encourage me on this personal crusade to defy all things that a young teenage stereo-type denies to me.
Chapter 9: Every Breath You Take
Winter came unexpectedly with frosty cold weather. Snow was beginning to fall by Winter's third day, and it came down hard. There was solitude to the season though. Everything was bleak, but it was quiet and calm, as if everything was resting, including the farm.
There was seemingly nothing to do in the morning except feed the animals, and income was cut shorter than usual with having only one egg bearing chicken and two shearable sheep to line my pockets. My calf, Little Miss, wasn't of age yet to give milk, even though she certainly wasn't little in any aspect. The rest of the barn was filled with the cows I was caring for. I figured that this would be what I would do for money this season. Odd jobs that nobody else wanted to do would be my main flux of income during this season.
Soon enough the cows under my care found a more suitable living space two villages away, and Doug paid me handsomely. But I knew this cash flow couldn't hold out forever. I began to skim around for other ways to make money. I delved into the papers that were sitting on my newly constructed kitchen table. To no success with the paper, I traveled into the living room and flipped on the T.V. Fortunately, there was one particular offer for work that was being advertised. The mine in Moon Mountain would be opened in three days, and I could literally go digging for gold!
...
Working as a miner was tough work, but it wasn't anything I wasn't used too. All I ever found was some crude iron ore that was used in all sorts of various things around the village, such as making tools, that would, in the end, come back to me. On very rare occasions I would find moonstone, which was used in the flowers during the firefly festival. I also heard rumors about precious gems such as blue rock, and a highly conductive, highly dense, rare metal, but I could never find such things. I found Potana roots as well, which served the Potion Master's needs very well. These roots were important ingredients in medicine.
I was never really obligated to go to the mines, but I went everyday anyways. After the third day of working in the mines though, I came home to see an odd sight. Much to my surprise, a piece of cake was setting on the small table in my living and a card that had " Jack" written on the front in cursive lettering. As I opened the card I noticed that a little too much time and effort was put into the card. Well, more time was put into the card than I would ever put in a card, anyways. The card was an interesting read, but it seemed almost sad.
Dear Jack,
I thought you would be at home for the Thanksgiving festival today, but you surprised me. I kind of like it this way better anyways. Then I don't have to say all this to you in person. We'll have a quiet Thanksgiving dinner at the Green Ranch now at least. We always have a special guest for Thanksgiving dinner, but that guest will just have to be Cliff this year. My Dad isn't the fondest person of you, but Ann's Dad insisted that you be invited since you didn't have any real family here. You seem too busy for us though, and you probably need the rest anyways. Happy Thanksgiving.
~Karen
P.S. Good job at the horse races. It slipped my mind to tell you earlier.
I clenched the letter in my fist and ran out the door. I was determined to make this dinner at the Green Ranch. I didn't want to spend this day alone. I completely forgot about Thanksgiving, but was going to try and make it up. I jogged down to the Green Farm to find that the house was alive with commotion. I could see people inside, but I couldn't make out any particular people. Regardless of what Karen thought, this was the closest thing to a family I had.
...
I tried to calm myself down as I knocked on the front door. I waited a few moments for the door to open, but eventually I saw an orange haired figure move towards the door. As the door peaked open I saw the last member of the Green family to welcome me into the house. Grey had a strange smirk on his face, but around him I could see Doug conversing with Karen's Dad, Donavan. Cliff was sitting at the table, looking impatiently at Grey to return to the table to start their conversation over. Karen's mother was quickly bringing food out of a nearby room and setting it on the table, followed by Karen and Ann, who brought out more food. No one seemed to notice that I was at the door, except one other person who was sitting across the table from Cliff.
" Come on in. Happy Thanksgiving" Grey said with the warmest smile that he could manage, which still wasn't very bright.
As I walked in, everyone collapsed on me, greeting me and welcoming me into the household and wishing me Happy Thanksgiving. Even Karen's Dad welcomed me into the Green household.
" So you decided to show up, huh?" Cliff nudged at me.
" Welcome son, make yourself at home here!" Doug chimed in
" Happy Thanksgiving, kid" Karen's Dad wished me, for what it was worth.
" Hey Jack, I didn't think you would make it" Kai told me with his better side.
Ann and Karen's Mother both rushed out of the kitchen, followed by Karen, who looked like she was being drug along to a surprise that she didn't care to see. The moment she saw me though, her eyes brightened up, but only for a moment.
" Happy Thanksgiving, Jack! This is a surprise!" Ann greeted.
" Welcome Jack. Come on in and enjoy yourself" Karen's Mother invited me, but a strange sense of held back emotion filled me as she spoke to me. " You're just in time, we're about to set down for dinner."
" Thank you, everyone. This is the biggest Thanksgiving I've ever been at!" I said with a smile.
Doug nudged me by my shoulder. " Sit down right here Jack, and get ready for the best meal you've had in years! Kathy always makes the best Thanksgiving dinners!" Doug cheered with a smile towards Karen's Mother.
I was set down next to Kai in the middle of the table. Slowly everyone began to take their seats. Well, all the men did anyways. Cliff sat across from me, with Grey to his left and two empty seats to his right. Doug and Karen's Dad each took one head of the table. Now there was only one empty seat to my left and two at the corner across the table. Finally the three women came out with the last of the food and took their seats. Karen sat to my left, which made the thoughts in the back of my mind jump up and down. My immediate thoughts though must have punched my recessive thoughts in the face because they disappeared as I calmed myself down.
" Let us all say grace before we begin" Doug announced. With that, we all said a short prayer before we began to dig into the turkey, potatoes, cranberries, and muffins.
At fist the whole table was silent except when food would need to be passed around, but once everyone settled down a little conversations started going up all over the table. I stayed quite though, waiting for someone to start a conversation with me. Cliff was preoccupied with Ann, which discouraged me. I had to sit and watch a girl take my best buddy away from me. It reminded me off why I wanted to stay away from girls. I learned over the course of High School that it was a lot more fun to be without any 'obligations' to someone. But how could I say that with some one like Karen sitting next to me? I had to say something to her. It wouldn't be right if I didn't. She's the one who invited me here anyways.
" I found the card you left on the table" I mentioned to her.
" Obviously" Karen said. The words were sharp, but she smiled at me to reassure that she didn't want to start a fight.
" I was wondering why you didn't congratulate me at the horse race. I didn't even see you once the race was over" I told her.
" Maybe I'll tell you later" she reassured me. " How've you been?"
" Alright. I was wondering why I was the only one working in the mines today" I told her with a laugh.
Karen gave a short laugh as well. " You must be the only man alive he worked on Thanksgiving."
" I try" I told her with a smile.
The noise level at the table was dying down again. Doug seemed determined to keep the holiday as festive as possible.
" So Jack, how's the farm been lately?" Doug asked me.
" It's been alright" I told the table. " It's been a little hard to keep myself afloat this season. Anyone have any odd jobs for me?" I said with a laugh.
" Yeah, I have lots of stuff you can do, if you're up to it" Karen's Dad informed me. He was the last person I expected to give me a job. " Just come by tomorrow and I'll give you a list of stuff I need done."
" Yeah, I can just imagine all the fixer-uppers at your place Donavan!" Doug said with a chuckle.
With Doug's short response to Karen's Dad the level of commotion at the table rose back up to it's normal level. Within minutes everyone was conversing about all sorts of different topics.
" So." I began, not really sure about what to say.
" So. what?" Karen questioned. " Theres a million things you could mean by that, you know."
" Well, what do you think I mean by it?" I said with a smile.
" You meant that you were at a loss of words and didn't know how to continue our conversation, but in order to be polite to me you are trying to anyways" Karen explained.
" Yeah, that was kind of the idea of it" I laughed in embarrassment. " I would consider it a success, too" I said with a sly grin.
" Well, where do you suppose we take this conversation from here then?" Karen questioned. Now I knew she was just messing with my head. That was one of the reasons I stopped dating after high school. Girls are the most confusing and complex beings on the face of the Earth. I think if we were ever invaded by aliens from the next multiverse over, women would be our only chance of survival. The aliens would realize how confusing this invasion thing could be and halt the attack. Eh, I figured I would play along with her.
" Anywhere but where we're at right now" I said, looking into her eyes.
" But we're not talking about anything. How can you run a race without a starting line?" Karen toyed.
" How long can we keep this up?" I joked back at her.
" How long are you willing too?" Karen joked back.
" How long are you going to procrastinate the answer?" I sent back.
" How about we just finish dinner first?" Karen suggested. I had to agree. We finished our meals in silence.
I humored myself with the sight of Cliff talking quietly to Ann at the table. It was like a dog marrying a cat. Cliff was obviously in way over his head, the poor guy. Yet how did I know what I was doing? I was eating dinner with one of the best looking girls in the village, and I liked it. I liked it, and I didn't like realizing that I liked it. Why was sympathizing for Cliff? What about poor me? Poor me was getting his butt kicked in the level headedness game. I hadn't known this feeling since I was seventeen. It was definitely time to do something drastic. I needed to get out of here with my common sense in tact, but my common sense was just shot through the heart.
" Want to try this talking thing again?" I questioned with a smirk.
" Well I don't know how well it will work out, you know? You're on that farm all the time and no one gets to see you. You probably don't have time to talk all that much, unless you talk to that cow you won" Karen said with a laugh.
" I can try, can't I?" I joked back to her.
" How is it our conversations never go anywhere except nowhere? Karen asked.
" Oh I don't know" I said with a sigh.
" That's the exact sort of thing I'm talking about! You don't even really answer questions. You need more practice with your mouth, Jack" Karen laughed innocently.
... Dinner was over soon enough, and it was time for me to take my leave. I couldn't be let go without at least a piece of pie of the pumpkin variety. I gave my thanks and good byes, along with Cliff, and left into the night.
Cliff stayed silent for the majority of the walk. I assumed he was lazily dreaming about his, dare I say, girlfriend? Just before we reached the farm though, he decided to give one last good bye, albeit a bit odd.
" You got what Karen meant when she said no one ever sees you, right Jack?" Cliff asked with a grin.
" Do tell, oh wise master of the mountain" I jolted sarcastically.
" It means she wants to see you more often" Cliff said with a sly smile. But as quickly as he gave me the message, he was gone, walking home towards his cave. I laughed at the idea of Cliff indulging himself and his 'relationship' with those mountain creatures. I still wanted to know about those little' guys.
As I walked into the house to collapse on my bed I found myself speaking aloud.
" I'll have to watch out for her. Every breath she takes. Every move she makes." I collapsed onto the bed without another word for a good night's sleep.
...
Author's Note: Yes, I did just slaughter everything Natsume's idea of a Thanksgiving Festival stands for. Perhaps I changed it because I have a brain, which allows for all sorts of things. I hope that was enough crap (some people call it fluff, I guess. Not to sure on the actual definition of this cult word, however. Thus, I may be wrong.) for all of you! I wish I could say it will be the last chapter like it for awhile, but then how could I fill in two more chapters about Jack's first winter? I know that the stuff in this chapter almost seems "kiddy", but I am only fifteen years old. Then again, I make reference to the brain comment, which explicitly allows me achieve and sustain a mental state that clearly defies my physical state. Keep on reviewing, too. They encourage me on this personal crusade to defy all things that a young teenage stereo-type denies to me.