Chapter 1
Pete turned off the old film projector as the footage drew to a close. How long had it been since these events had happened that he had just finished viewing? How old was he? He couldn't remember. Ten? Eight? No, five. He was five years old when his parents had taken him on vacation to Mineral Town, and it had now been twenty years since that event. Pete had never returned to Mineral Town, although he had written more letters than he could count to old Jack. Over the years, Pete's interests had largely changed. He had grown accustomed to life in the big city (it was, after all, his home), and the idea of ever living and working on a farm had become foreign to him. And yet, he still never forgot to write a letter to Farmer Jack every week, and old Jack always wrote back... Until now.
For the past month, Farmer Jack had not replied to any of Pete's letters. Pete had even written and mailed more than he usually did, just to make sure old Jack didn't feel that Pete was writing enough to him, and still he received no letters in reply. It had now been over a month since he had heard anything from the old man, and Pete began to suspect that something was wrong.
As Pete looked over some of the letters that old Jack had sent him in the past (some including photos of animals that Farmer Jack had raised), his father entered the room.
"Are you still waiting for old Jack to write you back?" he asked.
"Yes," said Pete. "I'm afraid something has happened to him."
"Don't be silly," said his father. "He's probably just been busy."
"For more than a month?" Pete replied. "I don't think so. Dad, we need to return to Mineral Town and find out what happened."
Pete's father sighed. "Son, we're not going back to Mineral Town. Stop being ridiculous."
Pete stood up from the chair he'd been sitting in. "I'm not being ridiculous, Dad! I need to see if old Jack is alright! Why can't you understand?" Pete sat down again with a sigh. "Of course you can't understand. You've been so obsessed with your own work and hobbies ever since Mom died."
His father frowned. "Pete, we don't talk about Mom anymore. Don't mention her again!"
Pete got up again and walked up the stairs to his room. "Someday," he said to himself, "I'm going to move into my own house, and I won't have to put up with Dad anymore."
A few hours later, his father opened the door to his room, and peeked in. "You awake, Pete?"
"Yeah. What do you want?"
"Pete, I've thought about what you were saying earlier, and I think you're right. We should return to Mineral Town and see how Farmer Jack has been doing."
Pete sat up in surprise. "You mean it?" he said.
"Yes," he answered. "After all, I've been missing some of the folks there myself. That bartender served some good wine."
"Duke, you mean?" asked Pete.
"Yup," said his Dad. "That's the one. You should really try some of the wine there now that you're old enough to drink. Mineral Town has some of the best I've tasted."
The next day, Pete and his father packed some clothes and other belongings and boarded a ship headed for Mineral Town. The night before, Pete had gone shopping and bought some new clothes; a pair of overalls and a blue baseball cap with a yellow bill. He chose to wear these because they were very similar to the clothes he had worn to Mineral Town all those years ago when he was a kid. His father, on the other hand, wore his regular suit from the office he worked at.
Seeing the shore of Mineral Town as the boat approached it brought a wave of good memories rushing back to Pete. As soon as the boat reached the shore, Pete rushed off to old Jack's farmhouse and knocked at the door. Then he knocked again. And again. And again. But nobody answered. Pete opened the door, and found that nobody was inside the house. He looked around the yard. The plants were dead, and weeds had grown all over the garden. He looked in the barn, in the stable, and in the chicken coop. There were no animals in sight. Was Farmer Jack dead?
As Pete looked around the farm in horror, a voice broke the silence. "Hey!" Pete turned around. A bald old man on a horse rode up. "Are you Peter Riverheart?" he asked.
"Yes," answered Pete. "How did you know my name?"
The old man dismounted and shook Pete's hand. "The name's Barley." he said. "Barley Eagletide. I've been waiting for you to arrive. Old Jack's been wanting to see you again for two weeks now. I'm glad you could arrive in time to see him."
"Wanting to see me where?" asked Pete. "Is he alright?"
"No," Barley answered gravely. "He's in the hospital."
There were no cars or trucks in Mineral Town. It was such a small, old-fashion town that everybody either walked or rode horses. Barley had let Pete borrow his horse, and Pete raced to the hospital as fast as he could. His worst fear had been confirmed; Farmer Jack was dying. Pete didn't even know if he could make it to the hospital in time to see him before he died, but he hoped he could.
As Pete entered the hospital, he was greeted by the face of a woman he hadn't seen in years. Sasha, the 43-year-old owner of the town vineyard, had also come to the hospital to see old Jack, and she was happy to see Pete there.
"Well well," she said, "If it isn't Pete. You may have grown since the last time we saw each other, but I'd recognize that hat anywhere."
"Yes, Mrs. Forestgaze," answered Pete. "It's good to see you again too."
"Karen is going to be excited when she hears that you're back in town," said Sasha. "I remember the two of you having so much fun together back when you two were kids."
"Yes," said Pete. "Your daughter was a good friend. I'll be happy to see her again."
"Is that you, Pete?" came a voice from the corner. A nurse in a blue gown with a white apron approached the two people.
"Ellie?" said Pete. "Is that really you?"
"Yes," answered Ellie. "It's me. I'm so happy to see you again. It's been years."
"So, I assume you changed your mind about working at your father's bakery when you grew up?" asked Pete.
"Oh," said Ellie, "I still work little jobs there from time to time, but I realized that what I really wanted to be was a nurse."
"And why's that?"
"Oh, I'll tell you some other time," said Ellie nervously. "Old Jack's been waiting to see you. Come on!"
Pete entered the room where Farmer Jack lay on a hospital bed. His face was pale, and he looked like he didn't have much time left to live.
"Ah," he said. "Pete, my boy, I'm so glad I got to see you one last time."
Tears started to form in Pete's eyes. "I was worried when you stopped writing back," he said. "I was afraid you had died already."
"Just a few more minutes delay, and you might not have gotten to have a last conversation with me," said old Jack. "I've missed you so much."
"I've missed you too," said Pete. "I have to say that I'm not all that interested in farming anymore, but I do remember your kindness to me back then. You were like a grandfather to me."
"Listen to me, Pete," said the old man, "I don't have much time, and I think my words to you will inspire you for the rest of your life."
"I'm listening," said Pete.
"Pete," said old Jack. "I want you to know that..." He continued talking in a mumbled voice, and Pete had difficulty making out what he was saying. He put his ear closer, but still couldn't make it out. When the old man had finished speaking, he closed his eyes. Pete stared at him, waiting to see if he would try to speak to him again in a clearer voice. But he didn't. He never moved again.
When it hit Pete that old Jack had died, his tears poured from his eyes more heavily than they had before. All those years ago, he'd said that he would return to Mineral Town, and he finally had, only to see Farmer Jack die moments later.
"Pete?" came the voice of his dad from around the corner. "Pete!" He entered the room. "Where have you been? I've been looking for you all over town!" His eye fell on Farmer Jack's body on the bed. "Oh," he sighed. "So it's just as you feared. I'm sorry, son. Did he say anything at the end?"
Pete didn't answer. He just sat and stared at old Jack's body as he tried to process what had happened. As he did this, Ellie entered the room along with Dr. Trent. The two of them had been looking after the old man and tending to him over the month while waiting for Pete. While they were relieved that it was over now, they still felt sad about losing the guy, especially because he had been Pete's friend.
"We're sorry, Pete," said Trent. "We helped him for as long as we could. But no medicine can keep somebody alive forever."
"I understand," said Pete, getting up from his seat and walking toward the doorway where his father stood. "I best be going now."
"Wait a second," said Ellie.
"No," said Pete's father. "He's had quite enough drama today, and it's getting late. We need to get to the inn before it gets dark."
"But Pete should really have a look at old Jack's will before he leaves," Ellie insisted.
Pete shook his head. "No thanks," he said. "I was friends with him, but I don't think he'd want me getting involved with the person who's going to own his farm now that he's dead. It's not my business to bother other people who I probably don't even know." He turned to leave.
"But Pete," said Ellie. "You don't understand. You're the one who's going to own his farm now."
Pete stopped dead in his tracks, and slowly turned around. "What did you say?"
"You heard me," said Ellie. "Look for yourself."
Pete took Farmer Jack's will from Ellie's hand and looked at it. Written at the bottom, it said:
"As I have no children or other family members to give my farm to, after I am dead or otherwise unable to take care the farm, it is to be given to Peter Riverheart."