Harvest Moon: Magical Memories
Chapter Six:
The winds changed, bringing upon a new scent, a new warmth. Summer lit through the air, drying and conditioning the world into one massive heat wave. Animals drooped under shaded groves, parched flowers hung low on their weakening stems. Rain clouds dried in the air and the wind finally died, leaving a musty stillness on the valley that was Flower Bud Village.
Summer. It was Summer already and in Luna's mind, she had finally given up on the dream idea. She had forgotten her life previous to this, perhaps that life was just a dream to begin with. Maybe she had hit her head, maybe she had gotten amnesia... logic just couldn't explain what happened so she simply cast it from her mind, as easily as she had seen Ray do. Only Ray had pulled in a fish, something tangible. She was left empty-handed in every notion she had dreamt up.
Summer...Luna had bought a coop, a chicken. She named it Rook. It was noon when Luna made her way down to Rook, clucking in her lonesome, pecking feebly in the dirt for sustenance. She sat next to her, pulling the bird onto her lap. "Rook, I'm sorry you don't have a chick to take care of. I'm also sorry you have to stay outside on such a hot day. I wish I could afford food for you... if you'd just lay an egg-" She sighed, knowing it was useless. "Well, I guess I got to go find something else to bring home some bacon. Or chicken feed. Whatever. See ya, Rook." She set the famished little chicken down onto the ground where it sat staring out into the river, occasionally cocking its head at a moving fish.
It was two days later when it happened. A tsunami hit. Luna ran outside her house, screaming and casting nervous looks about. "ROOK!" She cried in anguish. She had left the bird outside. Running against the wind, hair swept sideways across her face, she put her head down and shoved on, rain slapping against her face in heavy sheets.
"Luna!"Luna squinted against the dark rain, a figure making its way to her, struggling equally against the sharp winds. As the water bit against her face, she slowly trudged forward, fighting the winds with all her waning strength.
"Kurt?" Kurt stood next to her, arm on her back.Joe was on the other side, shouting something about going back. He disappeared into the darkening sky. Kurt however, remained stubbornly next to her, the only thing holding her up.
"I'll get your bird." He pushed her back toward the house, not roughly but not gently either, and, head bent, walked toward the dilapidated coop.
Luna was sitting on her bed, staring out the window. She hummed nervously, rocking back and forth. Rain hit the window hard. Wind whistled outside. Where was he...? She frowned, glancing at the clock. He'd been out there for an hour. She took a deep breath. I'm too weak to go outside... I- but she knew she should. She had to. He's been gone too long.
She stood. She walked to the door. She pulled it open. Water hit her face, frigid, angry water. She took a step forward, into the murk.
It was then that he came, pushing her back, pulling the door shut after him, yielding a bird hanging limply in his arms.
..."It's gone." He offered over the chicken, his face expressionless.
"Rook..." Luna replied weakly, taking the bird into her arms, its broken body drenched with muddy water. "Oh Rook... it's all my fault." A tear rolled down her cheek. "Kurt- I..." Kurt turned, going toward the door. "No! Please- don't..." He hesitated, hand on the knob of the door. "It's too dangerous out there." Her voice was tight with the threat of tears. Swallowing a lump in her throat, she sunk onto the floor, the bird clutched tightly to her chest.
It was then that she let it out. She sat and cried, tears dropping onto the dirtied feathers. Kurt made a step toward her but backed off, indecisive.
The storm continued all through the night. Kurt slept across the room on the floor. He tucked himself into a tight ball, back facing Luna. She had offered him her bed, offered to sleep on the floor. He hadn't even talked to her.
Luna went to bed at four, the occurrences of the day finally hitting her, wearing her down, and causing sleep to finally arrive. When she awoke, it was six o'clock.
And Kurt was no where to be seen.