Chapter 2
Homeward Bound
The journey from Zuzu City to Pelican Town took Sariel just over 3 hours to complete. Traffic was exceptionally light, and she opted to eat dinner on the road, rather than stopping. She saw a faded, worn sign that pointed towards Evenstar Farm and she turned onto the road and carefully made her way towards the farmhouse. She was flagged down by a red-headed woman in a yellow jacket, who was sitting on the hood of a truck.
Sariel slowed down and pulled the truck to a stop. The pale red-headed woman stepped up to her truck door and immediately began talking to Sariel. Her hair was piled up in a messy bun, and her eyes shone brightly when she smiled. Her voice was soft and pleasant.
"Hello! You must be Sariel! I'm Robin the local carpenter. Mayor Lewis sent me here to fetch you and show you the way to your new home. He's there right now tidying up things for your arrival. The farm's right over here, if you'll follow me." Robin stated excitedly.
"It's so nice to meet you! Thank you for taking the time out of your day to do this." Sariel replied.
Robin climbed back into her truck and pulled out ahead of Sariel. She easily navigated the street. Within just a few moments, the pair had arrived at the farmhouse.
The farmhouse was quaint. It had a red roof, with simple wooden siding, a few windows, and a small porch. The back portion of the porch had a recessed area for storing firewood, and Sariel was pleasantly surprised to see the storage filled to the brim. Sariel climbed out of her truck and was taken aback by the amount of debris and yard waste that was strewn across the land.
"This is Evenstar Farm," Robin started.
"I definitely have my work cut out for me. Oh my goodness. There's no backing down now though. Grandpa believed in me, so I know I can do this." Sariel thought to herself.
"Sure, it's a bit overgrown, but there's some good soil underneath that mess! With a little dedication you'll have it cleaned up in no time." Robin finished.
The two women made their way to the front door. Robin handed Sariel the keys to the front door. At that moment an older gentleman came outside. Sariel recognized this man to be Mayor Lewis.
His face was kind and gentle, and his gray moustache was thick and bushy. He wore a simple brown cap, and a green dress shirt, with yellow tie, and brown slacks with suspenders. He smiled warmly when he saw Sariel.
"Ah, the new farmer! Welcome! I'm Lewis, Mayor of Pelican Town. You know, everyone's been asking about you. It's not everyday that someone new moves in. It's quite a big deal! ...So you're moving into your grandfather's old cottage. It's a good house… very 'rustic'." Lewis said warmly.
"Rustic? That's one way to put it… 'Crusty' might be a little more apt, though." Robin quipped.
"Rude! Don't listen to her, Sariel. She's just trying to make you dissatisfied so that you buy one of her house upgrades." Lewis exclaimed.
"Hrmph." Robin skulked.
"Anyway, you must be tired from the long journey. You should get some rest. Tomorrow you ought to explore the town a bit and introduce yourself. The townspeople would appreciate that. …Oh! I almost forgot. If you have anything to sell, just place it in this box here. I'll come by during the night to collect it. Well… Good luck!" Lewis called out as he started walking away.
Robin followed him in her truck and Sariel was left to the task of moving all of her belongings inside. It took her a few hours to finish, but she was proud of her work. All the furniture got moved, and she had unpacked everything. It was a tight fit, but she managed to get her queen-sized bed, bookcases, dining table, chairs, TV, plants, radio, and pictures all set up.
She collapsed on the bed and awoke to the sound of a rooster crowing the following morning. She scrubbed the sleep from her eyes, and turned her electric kettle on to start boiling water for tea. As she moved about, she turned the TV onto the local weather station.
She opened the front door to allow a breeze in, and it was then she noticed the small yellow and purple wrapped package. She quickly tore into it, and found 15 packets of Parsnip Seeds and a sum of $500 and a note from Mayor Lewis.
'Here's a little something to get you started. Signed, Mayor Lewis P.S. I've included the inheritance from Eric for you.'
Her kettle chimed, and Sariel quickly poured herself a steaming cup of green tea. She dug through her clothes and settled on a pair of hiking boots, boot cut jeans, and a dark blue t-shirt. She pulled the garments on, drank her tea, and stepped out to the farm. She collected the set of tools Robin had left behind for her and set about clearing some of the land to plant her first crop.
It was 8:50 A.M. by the time she had cleared a small patch of land completely. Between the Oak Tree she took down, the fallen branches, small boulders, and thick brushes, she was tired. She managed to till the ground with ease, and noted that the soil had a rich color and fragrant earthy smell. She quickly planted the fifteen seeds, noting on the back of the package that they should reach maximum size in two weeks.
She decided since it was almost 9:00 A.M. she'd venture into town and start meeting some of the locals. She followed the dirt road from her farm, and found a walking path heading towards the town. It wasn't a far walk, about a quarter of a mile. She was pleased at the paved cobblestone sidewalks. The entire village seemed to be quaint and charming. Towards her left was a walkway leading to a small playground. In front of her was the local doctor's office. She spied a sign for 'Pierre's General Store'. She figured that would be her best choice for a first stop. Outside the General Store was a calendar pinned to a bulletin board. There were pictures and names of the residents on the various days with notes for their birthdays. Sariel smiled when she saw she'd already been added as well.
She saw a note for Pierre's Hours of Operations. They were closed on Wednesdays, but open from 9:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. the other days of the week. Sariel gently pushed on one of the double glass doors, and a small windchime tinkled above her head as she entered the store. The small store had four large shelves full of goods and several fresh produce bins. She spied a gentleman sitting behind the counter and she approached him cautiously.
He had ruddy-brown shaggy hair and wore glasses. They were half-moon shaped and complimented his face nicely. He was wearing a brown button-down shirt over a blue undershirt and a pair of jeans.
"Hey, you must be Ms. Shade, the new farmer! I'm Pierre, owner of the local general store. If you're looking for seeds, my shop is the place to go. I'll also buy produce from you for a good price! We have a Shrine to Yoba here as well. You're welcome to visit during our regular business hours." Pierre stated.
He reached across the counter and handed Sariel a map of the town. She opened it and was surprised at the amount of detailing. Each residence was listed with their address and the residents who lived there. There was a Mine and a Beach as well. She tucked the map into her back pocket. She purchased some more Parsnip Seeds, and tucked the paper packaging into her pocket as well.
"I am she. Thank you so much! It's so wonderful to meet you. I hope we'll be working together, once I figure out everything." Sariel beamed as she spoke.
She was stopped by an older woman with long brown hair. She was pleasantly plump, with a round face. She grasped Sariel's hands in her own as she spoke.
"Ah! You must be the new farmer! My name is Marnie. I sell livestock and animal care products at my ranch. You should swing by sometime." Marnie said kindly.
Deciding to visit the beach, Sariel departed from the store and opened the map once again to get check her surroundings before heading out. It took her about twenty minutes to navigate her way to the beach as she was unfamiliar with the town.
Once she arrived, she felt a surging in her soul. The soft, soothing sounds of the ocean waves ebbing and flowing seemed to heal her very spirit. She noticed a well maintained cabin to her left, and several docks out on the water. Her boots sunk slightly into the warm sun-bleached sand. The salty ocean scent hung delicately in the air. She was pleased to find a Fishmonger here, as hopefully it meant there was decent fishing in the area.
Sariel sat at the edge of the farthest dock and spent an hour just watching the waves come and go. Her stomach growled and she realized it was now noon and she hadn't eaten anything since last night. She heard a door open to her left and quickly glanced that way. A tall, well dressed man, with hair longer than her own; as golden honey toned as the sweetest honey was walking across the sands. He stopped by the small stone campfire ring she had spied on the beach earlier. She affixed her gaze on his eyes, and she swore for a fleeting moment he too, was staring at her.
Deciding to introduce herself, Sariel stood and unfurled her legs from beneath her. She stretched her arms overhead and lithely limbered up her back and legs. She quickly traversed the dock and made her way to the young man. His eyes were sea-green and shone radiantly. Sariel realized she was instantly smitten with him. He was outright gorgeous. Far better looking than anyone she'd ever seen in Zuzu City.
"Ah, the new farmer we've all been expecting… and whose arrival has sparked many a conversation! I'm Elliott… I live in the little cabin by the beach. It's a pleasure to meet you." His voice was calm, soothing, and quiet, to the point he almost purred when speaking.
"I'm Sariel. The pleasure is all mine." Sariel smiled brightly.
She bowed slightly and waved goodbye to Elliott as she departed the beach for her humble abode. When she returned, she immediately set out to till more land and plant the new seeds she had purchased. As she worked, a breeze picked up and made the afternoon cooler. Discouraged by the four hours of work it took her, she realized her energy was spent and retired for the evening.
She took off her dusty boots outside and immediately locked the door before heading into the shower. The warm water rushed all around her and she was pleased at the level of water pressure the farmhouse had. She spent half an hour hiding in the water before finally finishing and making herself a salad to eat. She curled up on the couch and decided to read for a bit before falling asleep.
