"It's a simply marvellous farm!" Mayor Thomas boasted, prancing down the path.
Claire followed a few paces behind the chattering mayor, catching onto bits and pieces of his ramble, but losing herself in her thoughts through most of it.
She was actually getting the farm! She found it very difficult to believe.
Her attention was drawn back to the bounding mayor. She shook her head at him, finding it hard to comprehend that he was the same mayor who had questioned her. Then he was so stern and intimidating, now he was leaping around like a child who had too much sugar. She chuckled inwardly; it was actually quite amusing to think that the mayor of Mineral Town was bi-polar.
"There it is!" exclaimed Mayor Thomas, spreading his arms towards the farm. Claire turned head, her mouth dropping open in shock at the sight before her. This couldn't be it! Where was the 'simply marvellous farm'?
She turned to the mayor, mouth still agape. "Is this it?" she asked, sincerely hoping that it wasn't. That this was some mad joke.
He nodded his head in response, completely ignorant of Claire's incredulity.
Claire turned her head back towards the wreckage that was her farm. The fading rays of twilight shimmered on the huge plot of land meant for planting crops, but instead was littered with tons of stones and boulders, bundles of sticks and clumps of stumps as well as millions of weeds sprouting everywhere.
This could not be! How was she supposed to run the farm if it was in this condition? But it seemed that Mayor Thomas was unfazed at the condition of the farm, smiling contently at the ruins.
Now that she doubted whether she would be able manage the farm, she suddenly felt quite scared. Fear erupted in her chest and her knees began to feel weak. She immediately regretted lying to the mayor about knowing how to farm. Truthfully, she barely knew the basics of farming- she was hoping to learn on the job. Considering that she was a quite fast learner it would have been no trouble, but the farm being in the state that it was in at the moment proved to be a huge obstacle in her 'flawless' plan. Her stomach twisted into a tight knot as she thought of her predicament, wracking her brains to find a solution, but always coming up futilely blank.
"So…what do you think?" Mayor Thomas's voice reminded Claire of his presence. She shook her head to clear it and turned to the mayor. He was watching her, keen eyes friendly, yet slyly calculating.
Claire considered him with mild surprise, "Uh…it's not what I expected," she answered truthfully.
Mayor Thomas seemed content with her response, turning again to the ruins, "It is a marvellous farm, when cleaned and cared for," he explained.
Claire nodded her head, trying to conjure up the image of farm in tip-top condition. However, all she could picture was the mess that lay before her. The mess that she would have to deal with; something she wasn't particularly happy about.
Suddenly she felt a spark of anger - she had been lied to. In the brochure she had, the advert stated that the farm was beautiful and in fairly good condition. That was a patent lie; it was not beautiful, the complete opposite in fact. And it was most definitely not in any condition less than terrible.
She faced the mayor, "This is not what was advertised. Are you sure that this is the right farm?" she asked, her voice strained from trying to contain her temper.
"Ah, yes. The advert," Mayor Thomas chuckled nervously, wringing his hands together, "Well, I might have twisted the truth a teensy bit in there."
"A teensy bit?" Claire raised an eyebrow, "You blatantly lied!" she hissed, her frustration beginning to get the better of her.
The mayor sighed sadly, "I know, I know. It wasn't very good of me, but I had no choice. Nobody would've wanted the place if they knew the truth about its state. Please understand; I had to."
Claire unaffected by his pleading tone merely scoffed, "'Had to.'? Had to what? Lure in people who have dreams and hopes of starting a farm then simply crush all of it by showing them this dump? No, I can't understand!"
Mayor Thomas winced from both; her biting tone and wounding words, "That's a bit harsh don't you think? Believe me; I wasn't intending it that way. I just needed to get someone to take over the farm."
Claire turned her head, silently counting to ten - trying to subdue her rage. He really expected her to believe that dumb excuse? How much of an idiot did he think she was? Apparently a big one. Anyway, why did he leave the farm to rot away before deciding to advertise for it? It was simply illogical.
"I know you must be wondering why I didn't act sooner to get a farmer?" Mayor Thomas stated, as if he had read her mind.
Claire remained facing away from him and nodded her head, even though she knew it was a rhetorical question.
"Actually I didn't. Immediately after Ol' Timothy, the farm's founder, passed on I put the farm on the market. Unfortunately nobody was interested in a trifle farm on a faraway, insignificant island. And as the years passed the farm's condition went from marvellous to horrific. About five years ago, just when I was about to give up hope of ever getting a farmer, I received a response to the advert. I had finally found a farmer. However when he saw the farm, much like you are, he was disappointed. His response was understandable, since the farm was even worse back then than what it is now. But he was understating and also very desperate so he took on the farm. However, just as the farm was beginning to thrive he left - packed his bags and disappeared- never heard from him since."
Claire sighed, "Sad story, the point of which is?"
"If I make you a deal, will you stay?" Mayor Thomas blurted out, practically begging her.
She was surprised; the mayor thought that she wanted to leave? However, leaving wasn't an option for her. But she wasn't going to let him know that. And she wouldn't just turn down a deal, especially one which seemed so appealing.
So she peaked at the mayor over her shoulder, "I'm listening."
"Good, good," relief spread on the mayor's face, "How about instead of you renting the place, I give it to you? And only for half-price!"
Claire heart soared at the thought of owning the farm, even though it was a mess. But then it plummeted back down when she remembered that she couldn't afford it. Her current balance was only 11 000 G. How was she suddenly going to get to 750 000 G?
Shaking her head sadly she responded, "I'm sorry. I don't have that kind of cash. I can only afford the rental."
"Who said anything about paying the whole sum at once?" Mayor Thomas asked, raising an eyebrow cockily.
Her hopes rose once again. This was becoming surreal - too good to be true. 'Stop it!' she mentally scolded herself, 'don't jinx it!'
"Every month you pay me 25% of the farm profits, until you pay up the total amount due," the mayor continued, "no interest charged. How's that?"
Claire felt like jumping up and down and running around the farm screaming out joyfully. But she didn't want the mayor to think that she was crazy so instead she opted to smile gratefully at him, "That would be perfect!"
The mayor's lips twisted up into a smile, "Great! Now I suggest you get settled, it's getting late."
Claire bobbed her head in agreement. Apart from the fact that the eastern horizon was darkening considerable with the western horizon only tinged a faint purple, she was exhausted from travelling the whole day.
She followed the waddling mayor to a small cottage on the edge of the farm. In the waning light the building looked sad; standing alone, weather worn and deserted.
Claire was not surprised by its condition. After seeing the state of the farm she didn't expect any better of the house. But she couldn't help the shiver of disgust that ran up her spine at the thought that she would be residing there.
Mayor Thomas proceeded to unlock the door; a slightly difficult feat since the lock was a little rusted. While he wrestled with the lock Claire heard him mutter under his breath; something about Gannon. She couldn't help wonder what that was about.
After the mayor finally unlocked the door they entered the neglected building. Into the musty darkness.
Mayor Thomas fumbled along the wall, trying to find the light switch. Once he succeeded his mission, switching on the lights, the room was lightly illuminated by a fading glow coming from a flickering light overhead.
On seeing the inside of the house, Claire inhaled sharply, holding in the cry of frustrated revulsion that threatened to erupt at the sight before her.
The entire room, yes the one room that house consisted of, was thickly coated in cobwebs, dust and grime. It was also scarcely furnished, with a small, ancient round table in the centre of the room and a rickety little stool beside it. There was also the neglected bed in the corner of the room, a dirt-caked night stand by its side and a pirate-like chest at its foot. Along with a dusty, moth infested bookshelf and a primitive, miniature television set.
For Claire, the issue was not the space, it was the mess. She, admittedly, was an extremely meticulous person, fussing that everything be spick and span. So the thought of living in the dirt infested house was enough to frazzle her nerves to the brink of insanity.
The mayor stepped forward, leaving a trial of footprints behind him in the dust, "I'm sorry about the condition of the house. If we had known you were coming we would've tried to make it, umm, more liveable."
Claire sighed sadly, squeezing her eyes shut. Mayor Thomas had a valid point; if she had given him notice of her arrival he would've arranged that the house be cleaned, making it comfortable for her. But, due to her brash decisions and behaviour, she was currently stuck, up to her eyeballs, in a very uncomfortable situation.
"It's okay; it's not actually that bad. Just needs a little sprucing up and, uh, a lot of dusting," she consoled – more herself than the mayor.
Mayor Thomas tutted as he swiped his finger in the dust on the table, "No it won't do. You can't stay in this place like this," he flapped his arms towards the filthy bed to convey his point.
Claire simply gave him a sad little smile, silently agreeing with him.
"I know!" Mayor Thomas snapped his fingers, looking up at her with a gleam of crazed excitement in his eyes, "You can stay the night in the inn. Tomorrow will give you much more time to clean this place up. How's that?"
Without waiting for her response, he scrambled out of the house. Claire followed, confused by the, once again, sudden turn of events. With a small amused smile on her lips, she resolutely decided that the mayor of Mineral Town was completely random. She also wondered how he had come to be mayor, when his mental stability was so questionable. Shrugging, she came to a deduction that perhaps it was due to heritage, both his screwed up behaviour and his position as mayor.
