The quiet of the dawn gave way to the usual symphony of noise that rang out from Link's family's farm: the "plit!" of milk that flowed from the cows and goats into metal buckets and the clinging of thick glass bottles that housed the fresh liquid, the rustle of feathers and the squawking of the multitude of chickens as thick eggs were collected, and the long exhalations of the five horses as they were gently brushed.
Everyone took turns with each task every week, and with every passing day the animals grew more content with each caretaker, especially when the time came for them to leave the massive barn to go out into the wide, rolling field. This morning, Shannon moved the yard birds to their large, wired-off pen to the south of the field and then went to help her husband herd the milk and cheese-producing mammals to their eastern spot. Link and Saria were responsible for guiding the horses to their enclosure over the top of the hill that led to the north of the farm.
After feeding each equine a fresh carrot and making sure the trough was full of fresh water, Link and Saria raced through the gate and to a separate edge of the field where the high white fence ended and the surrounding woods began. Link leapt across three tree stumps, each one ascending in size and finally reached a forked oak tree at the fourth level. He snaked his limbs around sharp branches and found his place among the leaves. Reaching up, he snagged an apple, one of many dotting the tall oak, and inspected it before taking a hearty bite. Link rose up so his face was visible above the foliage and he looked out at several more trees in front of them, all bearing red, plump fruit.
"It's good!" he yelled to everyone below and holding up the apple. "They all look great from here!"
"Copy that!" Saria called out. She was kicking up her heels and rubbing one boot over the other, scraping off small pieces of grit from the ten-foot-tall tree she just climbed and flecks of mud from the field below off her worn, scuffed footwear. The lass popped the last two of five cranberries she just picked from her outpost into her mouth and savored the sweet juices.
Fabian and Shannon grinned at the two's report and fastened the gate to the cow and goat pen shut.
"Good deal, kids!" Shannon shouted. "But we'll square all the produce away later! Time to roll out!"
An hour and a half later, the four had two trucks filled to the brim with nourishment. Fabian pulled the metal door to the back of the white delivery truck shut, securing his loads to take out of town while Link snapped the black trunk cover of his faded blue pickup shut. Both vehicles featured the same logo on each side door, a silhouette of an oak tree with script reading "Epona Farms." He then opened the passenger door for Saria and went over to talk to his folks.
"This oughta hold while we get everything shipped off in town," he told his grandparents, rapping his fist on the hood. "If we start sputtering out of control, we'll carry the food on our backs if we have to."
"Um, I fixed the darn thing when you forgot to," Saria interrupted. "You'll be carrying the goods while I fix it again so it isn't stripped for parts on the side of the road."
Fabian chortled. "Aw, it's just a couple of miles. I've made farther than that on a lemon in my day."
"On our day," Shannon corrected, moving past Fabian and hopping into the driver's seat of the white truck. "Second date to be exact. And the day he proposed."
Fabian shook his head as the younger two smiled and made his way to the passenger's side.
"If you have trouble, Link, just call us," he said. "And Saria, thanks so much for coming out to help us today."
"Anytime," Saria responded.
"We'll see you guys later," Link said.
"Be sure to say hello to Marius for us, too!" Shannon reminded him, waving.
Engines roared to life after everyone got situated, and the two trucks rolled out of the garage and down a dirt path that led to the long, straight road ahead. Fabian and Shannon turned left and Link and Saria turned right. Saria rolled down her window and stuck her head out, letting the cool wind soothe her face. She moved a few of her pixie-styled bangs from her eyes to see the only road sign for miles.
Downtown Kokiri Forest – 10 Miles
Link placed his right hand on Saria's left and squeezed. Saria repositioned her hand to clasp his and returned the favor.
"I didn't forget today though," Link said. "Lunch or dinner wherever. Your choice, Saria."
"Probably lunch," Saria replied. "I know I'm only around a couple days a week, but farm work makes you hungry real fast."
Link nodded. "Just say the word. It's not every day you become a teacher."
"Hey' I've yet to even take the licensing test," Saria said. She beamed and squeezed Link's hand again. "But it'll sure beat getting kicked by my brother every time I'm in the shop trying to fix someone's brakes."
"He's seven," Link retorted. "He'll grow out of it eventually."
Saria released her grip and flicked Link's cheek. "You elbowed me in the face during Senior Prom. 'Grown up' is still a lifetime away, I bet."
"You didn't duck when I tried to twirl…"
"The guy leads in swing dancing. You hit me, lame-o."
Link chuckled and looked to the side. The flat green plains dipped every so often with little ponds dotting the landscape. At that moment, a fat bullfrog leapt onto a lily pad and the ripples caused a duck to flutter and nudge its baby away from the disruption.
"Anyway…" Link began.
"Anyway, stop stalling. I know you had that dream again."
Link took a breath and kept his eye on the road. The truck was now chugging along rows of full, towering trees that began to darken the highway.
"Yeah. I did."
"Did you see anything different this time?" Saria asked.
Link narrowed his gaze. "No. I don't think so. The same thing. It was like I was somewhere in the woods out here, but something was wrong. There were torches and the grass was all torn up."
"What about the voices?" Saria questioned. "Could you understand what they were saying this time?"
"No." Link ran a hand through his hair and undid a couple of tangles. "It all melded together. Then that purple flash of light came and I woke up."
Saria frowned and looked out the window. Now, small houses and their inhabitants were beginning to pepper the surrounding. Two men were sitting on a stoop talking. A little girl rolled on a lawn as her puppy nudged her along with his nose.
"You said last time you actually felt pain in the dream," she brought up. "Did you…"
"Worse than before. I was a bit achy when I got up today, but that was probably from work."
"Why don't you tell someone?" Saria inquired.
Link raised an eyebrow. "You're right here," he said.
"I mean someone who might know what it means. Like your grandparents."
"Yeah, Grandad will have the answer," Link said with a snort. "Don't go watching scary movies before Halloween. Except I haven't so…"
Saria sighed as they reached an intersection in one of the neighborhoods in Kokiri Forest that would lead them downtown.
"Well, we can look something up then, Link!" Saria urged. "The same thing over and over again like that, and it's hurting you."
Link turned left at the intersection, pavement soon giving way to weathered cobblestone. He then reached over with his free hand and stroked Saria's face
"It's fine for now," he assured her. "Look, I'll mention it to either him or Grandma later. But don't worry yourself. I don't need you getting freaked out over something we don't even know."
"Okay." Saria closed her eyes and nodded.
The truck gradually passed by more people and buildings along the two-lane road. A couple excitedly ran up to the counter of the lone movie theater in town, a group of teenage boys in sport shirts and sunglasses biked down the street corner, and a group of children were gathered around two people wearing black dress pants and eggplant-colored dress shirts. The tallest of the two, a young lady with long red hair, whipped what appeared to be a black cloak in the air, flipping it to reveal a side mixed with shades orange and red to applause. The other person, a mustached man wearing his black cloak with an Aegean inside, was helping a little boy pull scarves of many shades of green from his hand as if by magic.
Link grinned at the street performers' scene and turned his eyes back to the drive. He didn't see Saria look to the side and bite her lip, then gritting her teeth after she watched the show for a couple of seconds.
"More of them? Why does this not feel right?" Saria asked herself.
But a high-pitched giggle from the woman and a laugh from the man cut through the children's elation and pierced Link's brain, causing him to hitch his breath.
That laugh from my dream again…