Gill's Journal

January 14th, 2010

This is the last time I let Father handle the books with Hazelwood. Not only have his mathematical skills been slipping, but because of that, the amount we traded was far less than the amount they asked for… after we had already lowered what we were offering. It's far too late to be playing the shrewd businessman in our relationship with Hazelwood. Every time we exchange with them, they get a little more frustrated with us. At this rate, I see negotiations breaking down within the next year.

The fact is that we need to play nice with them. They may be criminals, but this relationship is too beneficial to both sides to neglect. Plus, at the very least, they're still human and they're just as scared as we are, if not more so. They don't have the protection of the Goddess where they are and they don't have the protection of the storms that we do. Fear makes men do irrational things and I hope that they remain our allies, tenuous as things are between us.

I wonder if we can bring more of them over one day as we did with Carlos. Obviously, they'd have to come in shifts to prevent some sort of coup and to keep the factories going, but it would be nice to give them a taste of what we have. Maybe someday when we know that we can trust them again, but it won't happen so long as my father is mayor. Perhaps I can change his heart on that. But underneath that bumbling facade, he's terrified. If I were in his position as caretaker of Castanet, I would be too. I should remember that when my time to lead arrives.

Chapter Three: Misjudgement

Peacetime was something that Gill had come to appreciate. During the first few months following the nuclear holocaust that engulfed the world, things were obviously hectic. Preparations for the worst were made, new laws needed to be passed, and castaways had to be made to fit into the ecosystem that was Castanet. But after those months passed, things seemed to simmer down as what was left of the outside world continued to tear itself to pieces. Since then, things had been pretty easy, save the constantly wavering relationship between Castanet and Hazelwood.

With another property form typed out, Gill took it from the typewriter he was using, signed his name on the bottom, and stamped it with the mayoral seal. It was easy work for him and he was good at it, but he had to admit that sometimes, peace was boring. There was nothing challenging about his job, and really, there rarely had been. But as he sat at his desk, he looked out the window at the distant storms that circled Castanet. He wondered what it was like out there. He heard quite a bit of news from garbled radio transmissions, but he still knew so little. If it was anything like Hazelwood, he was glad to be on Castanet, boring as it could be at times. He had been to Hazelwood and he knew what it was like, but compared to some of the transmissions he had heard about what had happened to society as a whole, Hazelwood was probably one of the luckier settlements.

If only we could see a little more excitement, Gill thought to himself. And just as that thought crossed his mind, the door to the office opened… and his prayers weren't answered.

"H-hey, Gill!" Molly blurted out as she walked into the office, carrying a small basket in one hand and a book in the other. She looked good, wearing tan shorts and an orange blouse. But while Gill could admit she looked attractive, that hardly interested him.

"Molly. How nice of you to visit," he extended cordially. "How has your day been?"

"You know, same ol', same ol'," she giggled. "You know how difficult farm work is."

"Right…" Gill didn't buy her statement for a second. It was 12 p.m. and it wasn't Molly's day off, so there was no way she had done much work that day if she looked and smelled as nice as she did. If anything, she probably worked a few hours and took a shower. Plus, with how nice she looked, he doubted that she'd be going back to work. He wondered what Kasey thought about that, her doing so little on the ranch. "It's good to see you. Is there anything I can help you with today?"

"Yes, there is. I wanted to return your book." She placed the book on his desk next to the typewriter and Gill looked over to remind himself of what book it was: Pride and Prejudice.

"Oh, thank you," Gill replied, smiling back at her. "If you ever want to borrow another one, you can always stop by when I'm at home."

"Right, I know…" Molly said, blushing and looking away just slightly. "Oh, and I also brought you some muffins as thanks." She put the basket on the desk and took out a small plate of muffins. "They're raisin muffins. I hope you like them."

Gill liked muffins, but he detested the taste of raisins. Why anybody would want to eat a shriveled-up grape was beyond him. Still, he knew better than to fuss over food that was made just for him. He probably should have told Molly that he didn't care for raisins, but considering how miserable she usually was, he decided to play along. He took a bite of one of the three muffins and did his best not to cringe at the taste. Other than the raisins, the muffin was delicious. She was a good cook, judging by the food he had sampled from her in the past.

"You're a talented chef," he complimented, putting the muffin back down. "But we've been over this: you don't need to bake me food whenever you return a book. I'm happy to lend them to you."

"I know… You're just so sweet to lend them to me," Molly said, blushing again, not even trying to hide it that time.

Gill may not have been the most vibrantly social person in town, but he was good at reading people. Even if he wasn't good at that, it didn't take much to tell that Molly had a crush on him. He knew it, Luna knew it, and it was a wonder that Kasey didn't know it, but that was to be expected of his friend. In Gill's opinion, Molly had some positive things going for her. She was attractive, she was a good cook, she was highly intelligent, she had a creative and inventive mind, and deep down, although she didn't always show it, Gill knew she was a kind and caring person.

Unfortunately, those were the only good qualities he could think of.

The Molly that Gill had come to know was not pleasant to be around. She wasn't kind to most people and she was usually in a sour mood, even with those who tried to be kind to her. But the biggest thing that Molly had going against her was that she was a bore. Gill could not understand how somebody so creative could be so dull. He liked Molly well enough, but she could never hold a conversation and when she did, it was always about subjects that did not warrant an extended conversation. While Kasey could be a bit awkward at times, at least he always had something interesting to discuss. Molly wasn't so blessed and the worst thing is that she didn't realize it. And since Gill knew how difficult things had been for her, he wouldn't say anything about that, sparing her feelings.

"As I said, if you ever want to borrow any more books, feel free to ask." Nodding, he returned to his desk to continue typing, but Molly stood there expectantly as if she was waiting for him to say something else. But she said nothing, just staring at him, waiting for him to make a move he didn't want. "I expect that you have work to get to?"

"Yeah…" she said, pushing a lock of her brunette hair away from her eyes. "But I was wondering… how about you come over for dinner sometime? I mean, you said you like my food, so…"

Gill wanted to say no, but how could he turn down a generous offer? In his mind, having dinner with a friend, even a boring one, could be strictly platonic, but he knew what Molly was doing. Unless she were to force him into a corner by confessing her feelings to him, he didn't have the heart to hurt her after all she had been through. He knew from Kasey that she was still struggling with grief and he didn't know how to avoid hurting her himself. His best strategy was to continue dodging her advances until she moved on or took a hint.

"I suppose dinner would be nice," he said, having formulated a way out. "I'll bring a dish, you make something, and you can have Kasey make something. I know he's not the best cook, but a small potluck would be nice." Dodged that bullet. Including Kasey made the dinner made it platonic. But he could see Molly's eyes fall, despite her smile. He could only hope she'd take the hint.

"Oh… Okay." Molly forced her smile even wider. "I… I gotta go. I'll let you know when a good night for us is but… I'll talk to you later!" And with breakneck speed, she left as soon as she could, not wanting Gill to see that she was upset.

Well… I guess it could have been worse. He felt bad, wishing it was as easy to tell Molly "no" as it was to reject a building permit. Maybe it was because she was Kasey's sister that he made extra efforts to not hurt her. Perhaps that was why he cared, given that she was the sister of a close friend; a friend who never bored him from the day they met.


Three Years Prior

A year before the world ended, when Gill had been called to return from his travels early, he was hoping it was because his father had found something that he could assist with to save Castanet. However, disappointment was an understatement when Gill found out what he was tasked to do: babysitting.

"We found somebody willing to buy that desolate patch of land outside of town. We haven't been able to sell any land to anybody since everything went wrong. If we can get something to grow on that land, it will boost the town's economy at the very least. And if the kid decides to quit, he won't get his payments back anyway. Either way, we gain."

It sounded incredibly manipulative, but Gill understood that desperate times called for desperate measures. Still, he was unconvinced. The farmer only made a small down payment on the land. With the way the land was failing, it was unlikely that anybody would be able to pay what was owed.

"I know you're not a farmer or a rancher, Gilbert, but if you help this newcomer adjust, we might have something good here."

Gill did not share his father's optimism upon meeting Kasey for the first time. He was an attractive, young man and he was kind enough, but the more they talked in their initial "interview," the less faith Gill had.

"So, you mean to tell me that you have no experience in either farming or ranching?" Gill asked, expecting to be disappointed even further. There was no way some college-dropout, city kid would have the experience to run either.

"Nope, but I'm willing to learn," Kasey eagerly expressed, a charming yet goofy grin plastered on his face. "I picked up bartending pretty quickly."

"Bartending?" How was that even comparable? "Are you even old enough to do that in the United States?"

"Depends on the state. I needed a workaround in Chicago, though…"

Fantastic. The new rancher had a fake ID. Definitely trustworthy. But Gill ignored that point for a moment. "Mr. McCarthy, farming and ranching is nothing like bartending. It's grueling work. If you're doing it alone, you won't have days off. And it requires knowledge and experience passed down from generations of- How did you even hear about this land for sale anyway? Chicago is hardly down the road."

"It's weird, I got a flyer in the mail with information about a dirt-cheap property for sale. I was pretty much at a dead-end job back home with nothing to fall back on, so-"

"Flyer?" Gill cursed his father under his breath. That had to be his doing. But how the hell did an advertisement like that get to Chicago? "Forget it. The fact is, you're here. And now, I'm stuck with you."

"Stuck with me?" Kasey asked, confused, his mouth dropping slightly. "What do you mean?"

"Of course, Father never told you. And there's no way he mentioned it in the flyer," Gill sighed. Clearly, the newcomer had no idea what he was getting himself into. "Look, this land is dying. The soil has lost its nutrients, even when we work to restore it with fertilizer. The wind no longer blows like it once did. Even fire seems to burn dimmer than it used to. It's impossible. Uncanny even. Why do you think that land is so cheap?"

"Yeah, I wish somebody would have told me earlier…" Kasey answered, his smile faltering. "You make it sound like the island is a living thing. Or like this is some sort of supernatural act of God."

"Or Goddess…" Gill mumbled to himself, frustrated. But he couldn't expect an outsider to know about the religion and lore of Castanet. "I'm not sure what's going on. I traveled the world in search of answers, both scientific and biblical, but I've found nothing. But now, I am here helping you because my father believes that this will somehow help us… I'll be honest with you, Mr. McCarthy, I don't see this working out. It has nothing to do with you as a person. The fact is that you're out of your element here in a land that you can't save. But I will do whatever I can to make something out of this. As long as you're willing to work with me, I will do what I can to assist you in this endeavor. Understood?"

"Perfectly," Kasey replied, smiling again. "I promise, Mr. Graham, I'll turn Sinatra Ranch into the best ranch on this island, even if this land is cursed or whatever."

"Sinatra?" He had to admit, he never expected the foolish, foolish man in front of him to have picked that name. It was interesting, but it didn't change much. "The land isn't cursed. But if you can grow a few edible crops on that land, I'll call this a success."

"I'll give you more than a few," Kasey assured him. "Everything will work out. You'll see."

The optimism was annoying, but it gave Gill a sliver of hope… that was immediately squashed by realistic thinking. He'd give the newcomer a week. Maybe two. After that, he'd give up and leave for a better world, leaving Gill with his decaying home that he couldn't save.


Present Day

Gill's house had so many different kinds of books and people were constantly asking him to borrow them. Before the bombs dropped, he had requests here and there, but after everything fell apart, the number of requests had tripled. With no outside media coming in, every scrap of reading material had become a precious source of entertainment. Suddenly, even those who weren't avid readers were asking for books.

All the book borrowing got Gill thinking: they had a printing press in the back of his father's office that was used for flyers. Why not start printing books, just in case the old ones fell apart or were destroyed? Or why not finally build a proper library? He always wanted a library in Castanet, but for some inexplicable reason, one had never been built on the island. Perhaps it was because the population was always so small? Since the population of Castanet had more than doubled since the world's destruction, perhaps it was time to print and build. It would create more jobs and it would preserve culture, not only for the island but for the world at large.

Unfortunately, while his father may have supported a library project a few years ago, he wouldn't anymore. He was far less focused on culture that didn't involve festivities and more focused on keeping trade alive and keeping his position as mayor.

Dismissing his dreams, Gill put the book that Molly had returned back on the shelf before sitting on his bed. It was too early to sleep and he wouldn't nap out of principle. Sleeping would throw off his schedule and he feared it would come off as lazy if anybody knew he was doing it. Instead, he reached under the bed and pulled out the first of his hidden books within grasp.

Batman: Year One

His father wouldn't have approved of such books. No, he didn't buy this book, but it was a gift from Kasey.

"You're a genius. You could totally be Batman if you wanted."

It was an incredibly odd compliment to receive from his friend, but it became a running joke, as he gave Gill Batman graphic novels for both his birthday and Christmas before the world ended. Given his guilty pleasure for that sort of thing, Gill was tickled by the gift. They were good books too, but that wasn't why Gill was so fond of them. It partly had to do with Kasey himself. Nobody but a save few knew that Gill had a soft spot for fantasy or sci-fi, so whenever they got him presents for Christmas, they were always practical things that they figured a man from a rich family would want: fine clothes, fine wine, "higher-end" books… he liked those things, but only Kasey would have shamelessly given him a comic book, and it wasn't because he was trying to be unique or give him a gag gift; he genuinely knew that it was something Gill would like and that it was something he may not have had in high supply.

However, Gill decided against reading. He put the book back, lying back on his bed and staring at the ceiling. He had a few hours to kill and he wanted to be alone, so he used his time for thinking. Thinking and reflecting...


Three Years Prior

Gill had to give Kasey some credit: he didn't leave in two weeks. The new rancher remained motivated, the townspeople seemed to like him well enough, and he always came to Gill with questions. Whenever Gill met with him, Kasey asked him so many questions about where to buy what, who was who, and where to find certain objects or goods… he was very picky about that last part and Gill wasn't sure why. Why did he need gold ore so badly? If it was about money, why gold ore specifically? Shouldn't he be focusing on the farm? Still, Gill couldn't help but be a little flattered that Kasey came to him for advice.

The question was, how was Sinatra Ranch doing? Nobody but Kasey actually passed through his land (at least close enough to get a good look) and Kasey never talked about his progress. That was suspicious. So Gill decided to pay a visit in the early morning and make sure things were actually passable. As he walked to Sinatra Ranch, he prepared himself for the worst… only to be stunned by what he saw.

A single cow and two chickens grazed in a field where grass that had been planted was growing tall. The main field was plowed with various crops (potatoes, cabbage, and strawberries) already growing. And in the middle of it all was Kasey, watering his plants. He looked as though he had already been out in the field for a while, judging by his skin, which was glistening with sweat. Before Gill could call out to him, Kasey noticed him, waved at him like a happy child, and ran over to greet him.

"Hey, Mr. Graham!" Kasey said, slightly out of breath. "I didn't expect you to come over or I would have-"

"Don't worry about me," Gill interrupted, walking over to the nearest patch of strawberries and staring down at it. How was that possible? Even Craig was struggling to grow crops, and here was Kasey with a field full of plants that weren't weeds. "How did you accomplish this?"

"I don't know, there were instructions on the seed packet, so I followed them," Kasey answered simply.

"But we've been struggling to grow anything here. Even Craig and Ruth at Marimba Farm have been experiencing severe crop failure. And here you are-"

"I can't speak for anybody else, but I guess I just knew what each of these plants needed to grow," Kasey cut him off before he could question it further. "But you were right. It wasn't easy."

"You bought seeds for all these plants… and grass seed. And two chickens and a cow… how in the Goddess's name did you afford a cow so quickly?" Gill asked in disbelief.

"Oh, Mathilda? Actually…" He looked slightly embarrassed. "I don't actually own her yet. Not 100% at least. I'm making payments to Cain for her purchase, but it's an investment, right?"

Gill supposed that made sense. "Still, this is a lot of money. You told me you had barely anything when you arrived. Where did you get the money to pay for these things?"

"Oh, a lot of places," Kasey began. "Foraging brings in a bit of cash and what I don't sell, I eat. That saves me money on food. I do a bit of fishing in the evening too, and sell what I catch to the market, keeping the smaller fish for myself. On rainy days, I go to the mine. I've had some pretty good hauls so far. I don't know if it's luck, or… I don't know, I only wish I was further along."

Gill was in disbelief. Even if Kasey was making payments on the cow, there was no way that he could be growing crops that well and affording all of the different things on whatever income he was making, unless he was uncovering diamonds in the mine or something. Or maybe he was some sort of farming and mining savant? Stranger things had happened, he supposed.

"What's your secret?" Gill asked, incredulous. "This is borderline impossible, what you're doing."

"Well, maybe it isn't dumb luck…" Kasey said, looking a little awkward as if he had gotten caught with his hand in the cookie jar. "What if I told you that I had a flying harvest sprite whispering all the answers in my ear?"

"I'd say that you'd better keep that to yourself, on account that some people here might actually believe you," Gill answered, though what Kasey said made things even weirder. How did he know what harvest sprites were? Had he been talking with Pastor Perry? "Well, whatever it is you're doing, keep it up, because you appear to be doing a good job. In fact…" Gill had a crazy idea. One that he would never have considered. "Would you consider taking out a loan?"

"Oh, that sounds like a bad idea," Kasey replied, his face paling. "I got in trouble with college loans before I came here. Plus, I don't know when I will actually see significant profit out of this place. I-"

"I'm not trying to put you in debt, Kasey. I serve Castanet and that wouldn't do us any favors. I'm trying to help you," Gill interrupted. "You're doing very well right now, and I would only assume that you would be doing even better if you had more resources. I do most of the paperwork in the office and I could get you set up with a good loan with low interest and low monthly payments. Interested?"

"Of course, but I would need to see the fine print," Kasey answered, still a little cautious. "It's weird, I'm surprised you offered this. I didn't think you liked me all that much, Mr. Graham."

"Please, call me Gill," he insisted warmly. "You've proven me wrong thus far, Kasey McCarthy. The least I can do is give you a chance. If you mess up…" He shook his head, hoping he was making a good decision. "Well, we'll cross that bridge if we come to it. But if you can bring in your first batch of crops successfully, we'll discuss the loan."

"Right. I said it before, Mr. Gra- I mean, Gill. I won't let you down."

"I expect you won't."

But as Gill returned home, his stomach was churning. Was he betting too much money on a horse that was still very untested? If that money went to waste, his father would scold him for making such a risky investment. Then again, that hope he had smothered earlier was burning again. Maybe Kasey was worth his return after all.


Present Day

"It's good to see you, Calvin," Gill greeted as the young archeologist was invited to enter his home.

"Always a pleasure, Gill," Calvin returned, tipping his hat. Wearing a brown fedora, tan pants, and a beige button-down, halfway unbuttoned, he looked like he walked straight out of an Indiana Jones movie. "I wanted to review this week's findings with you, as per usual."

"Right. Come into the table and we can converse," Gill offered, leading Calvin to the seats across the room. He would have invited Calvin into the den, but he had been working in the mines all day, and the last thing Gill wanted was for the furniture to be soiled.

Calvin was quite the specimen. A tall, attractive, college-educated man in his late twenties from Denver, Colorado, he had come to Castanet to study the island's history. Castanet may not have been as glamorous as other dig sites, but it had a rich history that Calvin was eager to explore and document. Gill was eager as well, as while the island's general history since his ancestors had arrived had been recorded, he knew that Castanet's history expanded far beyond that. He wanted that culture to be preserved.

Calvin was the perfect person for the job. Almost too perfect, really. With degrees in both archeology and anthropology, as well as a love for ancient languages, he had uncovered so much knowledge in such a short time. Even after the world's end, his pace of research barely slowed. That wasn't to say that Calvin wasn't hurt by the loss of his friends and family back home, but that his work provided him with pride and purpose. All and all, he was a happy, healthy individual. There were times when he worked a little too hard too often, but as a fellow workaholic, Gill noticed that Calvin never crossed that line into truly unhealthy behavior.

"Well?" Gill asked, not impatient, but curious.

"Mostly stone tablets," Calvin said, pulling a large slab of stone from his pack and gingerly placing it on the table, so as not to damage the wood. "Still, I still couldn't tell you what they say. I have no reference for these characters…" He looked upset with himself, frowning down at the undecipherable text. "Are you sure those old journals were legitimate?"

"Why wouldn't they be?" Gill answered, this time slightly annoyed. "Do you think my ancestors were lying when they said that a translation to these tablets was being made by the natives?"

"I highly doubt that was a prank, but can we be sure that they knew what the natives were actually doing?" Calvin asked. "I'm telling you, I've scoured both of the mines. Most of the original structures have been destroyed, but I haven't seen anything that even looks…" He shook his head. "Your father is going to cut my grant money if I don't find anything soon."

"No he won't," Gill cooly assured his employee. "History is important. If the rest of the world knew that, maybe they wouldn't have blown themselves up. If there is nothing beyond this island for us, we should at least learn everything we know about this place, no?"

But maybe that was sunk-cost fallacy talking. Gill had convinced his father to fund Calvin's work, only for them to find a bunch of tablets and nothing to translate them with. There only was the old journal that suggested that the natives were working to translate their writings for the non-natives when they arrived. With all of the native people having died out, their culture was lost to time. So, Gill prioritized this project. If he couldn't have a library, he'd have this.

"Well…" Gill pulled his wallet out, took out some bills, and passed them to Calvin. "Here's what I owe you for now. I'd ask you to stay for tea, but Kasey is coming over soon, so-"

"Again?" Calvin interrupted.

"What do you mean again?" Gill asked, raising an eyebrow.

"You know I don't come around much," Calvin began to explain, "but whenever I do, Kasey is either coming over or he's already here. I know you two are friends, but it feels like he's here a lot for a man who's as busy as he is."

"People make time for what's important," Gill put it simply. "Kasey enjoys visiting and along with you and Luna, he's one of the few people I can tolerate for longer than a few minutes, so I'm happy to have him." He felt as though maybe he was being a little too personal with Calvin admitting that, but it was no secret that Gill was only close with a few people. "Besides, he doesn't have much time today, so we're keeping it simple. Wine and chess, probably.

"Fair point," Calvin said, putting the tablet back in his bag before standing up. "I didn't mean to offend."

"You didn't," Gill assured him. "If you ever want to play another game of chess, we can pencil something in."

"I would like that," Calvin said, tipping his hat again before heading out.

Gill would like that, though not as much as he'd like seeing Kasey again, even if they had spent far more time together. There was a time when he dreaded the rancher's knock on his door, but the more Kasey confided in him, the happier he was to help his friend when in need.


Three Years Prior

"Gill!" Kasey said as he burst through the door to the mayor's office. "We need to talk. Do you have a minute?"

Gill looked up from his paperwork and sighed. In reality, he was too busy, but he had to make an exception. He had to have a talk with Kasey that day anyway, so he'd have to deal with it.

"My father is out for lunch. We can talk in his office." He led the rancher to the backroom and sat behind his father's desk while Kasey sat in the client's chair. "So, tell me, is this about what I assume this is about?"

"If you're talking about Kathy-"

"Yes, so we're on the same page," Gill answered, letting out a tired groan. He didn't know why he expected Kasey to be beyond such things, but he supposed that was his own fault for expecting too much. "Tell me, is it true?"

"What? Of course not!" Kasey replied, getting flustered as he blushed.

"Really?" Gill asked, raising an eyebrow. "Kasey, I need you to be honest with me. If you're not honest, I can't help you."

"I am being honest! I swear, all we did was kiss. I don't know why this is such a big deal!"

Gill looked Kasey in the eye. He was looking a little desperate as he was leaning over the desk and Gill pitied him. He assumed that Kasey did not know that what he had done would cause such issues and something about his tone led Gill to believe that the new rancher was being honest with him.

"Okay, I believe you," Gill said, 95% sure that he was making the right decision in saying that. "So, tell me what happened."

"Okay, so…" Kasey looked a lot less uptight, but still appeared uncomfortable in discussing the whole thing. "I go to the bar from time to time. It's a nice place to talk to people, you know? Anyway, I've been talking to Kathy a lot. She's pretty cool and the other night, we were drinking together near the end of her shift. One thing led to another and we kissed a little bit. We went back to her room and made out a little bit, but that's it. I figured in a small town like this, doing anything more would have gotten me in trouble. I-"

"You were right to think that, but you were still reckless," Gill interrupted. "Somebody saw you two go back to her room, having seen you two kiss and having noticed that both of you were drunk. I don't know who it was, but you know how rumors are… Kathy should have known better and she shouldn't have been drinking on the job, but I hope you learned your lesson here."

"My lesson?" Kasey shook his head. "What did I do wrong?"

"Legally, nothing. Morally… I guess that depends on how conservative your moral code is," Gill answered, sighing as if all of it should have been obvious. "You're not in the big city anymore, Kasey. Back where you're from, I'm sure nobody cares what you do in your personal life, but Harmonica Town is small. Not much excitement happens around here, so people latch onto whatever gossip they can and everything gets blown out of proportion."

"Huh… everybody is so friendly here, though," Kasey said. "I figured people would be above that sort of thing here."

"They are friendly, but you give them too much credit. People will be people, no matter how small and friendly the community is."

"Right…" Kasey laughed to himself, shaking his head. "I don't know why I expected anything more."

"Well, now you know," Gill continued. "It's hard to keep a secret in this town, Kasey. Everybody watches everybody else and you especially will be subject to that. You haven't been here long and you're still in the process of making your first impression. I can tell you that people here like you well enough so far, but they're still forming their opinions of you and this may not help you in the long run."

"So, I have to carry this albatross around my neck forever then?" Kasey asked, looking disheartened.

Gill initially didn't think that Kasey was that smart, but every once in a while, the fledgling rancher would say something like that and he'd be surprised by it. Clearly, the man was somewhat educated, even if he didn't always show it.

"Nobody in this town forgets," Gill said, shaking his head. "But given enough time, somebody else will do something that catches everybody else's attention and nobody will be talking about you anymore."

"Right… so basically, stay low-key and remember that people pay attention?"

"Right." Gill could only hope that his words sank in with Kasey. But he had no idea how much they would impact him.


Present Day

"Good to see you!" Kasey said, hugging Gill as soon as he entered the door.

Gill was not much of a hugger, but he had to admit that he had gotten used to Kasey's displays of affection. He gave Kasey a quick pat on the back, trying to be affectionate, but also signaling that he was done.

"I brought cheese and crackers. Made both myself." Holding up both together in his opened lunchbox, he looked slightly guilty through his smile. "I might have burned the crackers, though."

"I appreciate your efforts," Gill said, smiling. Kasey wasn't an amazing cook or baker, but his food was never inedible. "You know where the knives are. If you want to start slicing, I'll get the wine. Brought it up here an hour ago. Just make sure you don't drink it too fast this time."

"Right," Kasey agreed, following Gill to the kitchen and getting to work, knowing Gill's kitchen well enough to find what he needed. Meanwhile, Gill took the chilled bottle from the fridge and began to uncork it. It was Merlot, a decent year. With only so many of the older bottles left, he had to be careful in how often he broke out an old bottle as opposed to one of the newer, cheaper wines made within the past few years.

"You look pale today," Kasey commented, looking up from the cheese he was slicing.

Is that some kind of joke? Gill looked up from the wine bottle and shot Kasey a dirty look.

"I mean more pale than usual," Kasey clarified. "And the bags under your eyes are definitely darker."

"You're awfully observant today," Gill said, doing his best not to grit his teeth.

"And you're being defensive," Kasey said, seemingly knowing that Gill was holding back. "Long day or long night?"

Well, no sense in lying. "Both."

"I thought so," Kasey murmured. He wasn't always the most perceptive person, but he wasn't blind either. "The Mayor left you with his share of paperwork again?"

"It's… complicated," Gill answered, although Kasey was right.

"It's not right, you know," Kasey said. "He was the one who got elected. He should be the one dealing with the lion-share of the work."

"It's mostly over the trade situation with Hazelwood," Gill said. "Those criminals… I mean, former criminals have become more difficult to deal with. But it serves everybody's best interest that we keep trade alive."

"I know," Kasey agreed, sighing. "It's a good thing the Mayor has you, even if you're overworked. Goddess knows I couldn't do your job."

"Nor could I do yours," Gill offered back. By now, he had poured the wine and he was looking over to see that the cheese slicing was almost done. "We all have our part to play. Still, we need a new voice in negotiations. They're not too happy with my father right now and I'm not the one to do it either. My public speaking is a little…"

"Huh…" Kasey mused. "You'll figure it out, though. You're good at this sort of thing. Anyway, the cheese is sliced, so whenever you're ready…"

Right. But Gill was no longer thinking about wine, cheese, and chess. Thanks to Kasey, his mind was on work again, and hopefully, thanks to Kasey, he'd solve the biggest work problem he had at the moment. It wouldn't be the first time Kasey had performed a miracle. Gill had come to almost expect that from him.


Three Years Prior

"Right on time," Gill said to himself, looking at his watch as he arrived at Kasey's door. He never liked to be late for anything, even by a minute. Such behavior wasn't becoming of a future mayor.

After knocking on the door, Gill turned away and looked out at the field, seeing all of the progress Kasey had made. He had a whole flock of chickens in the field to accompany his cow and two ducks swimming in the pond. And despite the land having failed Craig and his family, Kasey's field was full of crops. His first shipment of produce had been far more successful than Gill had expected. Admittedly, from what Gill had heard, the food Kasey had grown was mediocre at best, but given the island's struggles, that still surpassed his expectations.

"Gill!" Kasey exclaimed after opening the door. "Come in! I just finished the tea."

"Right, thank you," Gill replied, following Kasey inside.

Kasey's home was small, resembling that of a loft apartment with his bedroom, kitchen, and living room rolled into one, and a bathroom in the back. In time, Gill imagined that the rancher would upgrade his home, but he understood why he couldn't at the moment, given his income limitations. Still, he couldn't imagine living in such a small home.

Sitting down at the table across from Kasey, he took a sip of the hot tea. It was red herb tea, seasoned with honey. Not bad. He knew Kasey didn't care for tea himself, so the fact that he made it for him was awfully kind. Kasey could be dense, but he was definitely attentive and generous like that. He also looked a lot more cleaned up than usual. Usually, when Gill met with him, Kasey was sweaty and dirty from farm work. He must have showered before Gill arrived.

"You've done a good job outside," Gill marveled. "I'll admit, when I first met you, I did not think you were going to last longer than two weeks. But here we are."

"Thank you," Kasey nodded, sipping his own tea and cringing slightly at the taste. "That loan you processed for me really helped. It definitely jumped me forward a few months."

"Kasey, the only way you need to thank me is by continuing to succeed on your ranch. You have no idea how much your last shipment helped us."

"Will do. And that's only the beginning," Kasey said, his eyes shining. "But I didn't want to talk about the ranch with you today. I wanted…" He paused, thinking of what he wanted to say next. "Did... Did hear that sound this afternoon?"

"Sound?" Gill immediately knew what Kasey was referring to. That ringing sound. Everybody heard it. Gill remembered being busy with paperwork when the sound of a bell rang. He went outside to investigate, finding that everybody else in town was doing the same thing. Nobody knew where the ringing was coming from, but something about it… It made Gill feel warm. It gave him hope. And why? It was just some bell, right? No, it felt like more.

"The ringing sound," Kasey said before Gill mentioned the bell. "That one you heard around noon."

"Yeah, what was that? Did they put a new bell in the church?"

"No, the ringing… I did that," Kasey admitted sheepishly.

"Wait, what?" What did that mean? Could it be…

"So, hear me out," Kasey began again, interrupting Gill's thoughts. "What I'm about to tell you sounds crazy, but we need to keep it secret. That's why I invited you out to my home to tell you. Too many prying eyes and listening ears in town."

"Okay, I'm listening." He doubted Kasey knew how interested he actually was.

"So… Here's the short version. I kinda knew when I arrived that this island was dying… and I knew it was for some sort of supernatural reason," Kasey admitted, looking down guiltily. "After I got off at the airstrip, Cain picked me up and brought me to town in his cart. It was then that I met Finn."

"Finn?" Gill asked. He had never heard of a Finn. Possibly a visitor? No, in a small town, he would have seen them. Who was this Finn?

"He's… He's a harvest sprite…" Kasey continued, almost looking ashamed, probably because an ordinary person would have thought he was a lunatic. "He told me that I would be the one to save this land… I thought he had the wrong guy, but for some reason, it had to be me. He said I had to go to the Goddess's tree and figure out what was wrong. And when we did, we found out that it was dying and that I needed to find and ring five bells to restore it."

"And that was the bell we all heard?" Gill asked, curious.

"Yes! And check this out!" Kasey sprung up from the table and rushed over to his kitchen, turning on one of the stove top burners. "See this?"

"What about it?" Gill asked.

"Even when I had this thing on high, it never got that hot and the flames never got that high. It used to take me forever to cook anything! Plus, my shower has been making lukewarm water ever since I got here. I thought it was a utility issue, but apparently, everybody else was having similar problems."

This was true. Absurd as it was, fire seemed to be weaker in Castanet. Gill had known this for a while, even though he and Kasey had never talked about it.

But when I showered today, it was hot! And the spring behind my house is hot too! That bell, the red bell… Ringing it made things hot again! The fire, the gas, the-"

"So, you're telling me that by ringing a magical bell, you made heat work again," Gill asked, sounding doubtful in his tone, even though he wasn't.

"I know it's crazy, but I'm telling you-"

"I believe you, Kasey."

The young rancher's eyes grew wide as if he couldn't even believe what he was saying. "Seriously? I didn't think... It all sounds ludicrous!"

"It does," Gill agreed. "But remember how I said I was searching for scientific and biblical reasons for what is going on here? I wasn't kidding about that second part. I remembered reading about the five bells in our historical texts before I left Castanet to travel, but I thought they were a myth. Apparently, they aren't… But in hindsight, this isn't surprising. You even said that there was a harvest sprite helping you with the farming. Where is he?"

"Oh, Finn?" Kasey looked to his right shoulder and smiled. "He's right here! I mean, you can't see him, but- Yes, it's okay if I tell him! We can trust him, okay!"

Kasey actually looked crazy by that point, but Gill couldn't care less. There was a time when he could see the harvest sprites too, but that was long ago… and it was a story for another day. "So, he's right there?" Gill questioned, squinting as if that would help him see the invisible sprite.

"Yeah, you're looking right at him… or you would be if you could see him. But I guess you can't hear him either, which is probably for the best. He's not always around, but when he is, the dude doesn't know when to shut up sometimes. He's like the Jar Jar Binks of my life."

"And he's been helping you?" Gill asked.

"Yes, with everything," Kasey answered. "Not just the bells, but the farming, ranching, mining, and fishing. He's been around a long time and he knows what to do. If it wasn't for him, I probably wouldn't have been able to grow all those crops."

So that partially explained Kasey's success. But Gill was far more concerned with the revelation that had been brought to his attention. "Kasey, how come you never told me any of this sooner? Or anybody else for that matter?" Gill asked. "This is a major development in this island's future. You may end up being a hero to Castanet. Why wait until now?

"Honestly, I was afraid you would have had me committed or something," the rancher answered bluntly. "If this happened to me back home and I told somebody, I would have been put on some heavy antipsychotics. I mean, I didn't even know what to believe at first until Finn managed to prove to me that he was real. But even then, I have proof now. Go take a shower and heat up a cup of tea if you want to test it yourself. Also…" Kasey trailed off for a moment, drinking another sip of his tea. "Look, I don't know why Finn or the Harvest Goddess or whoever chose me to do this. I'm just some guy from Chicago who answered an advertisement in the mail. I'm not a hero and I don't deserve a hero's praise. That's why I didn't say anything to anybody else. But the people of Castanet are good people and this place is beautiful. I want it to be my home and if I have to be the one to save it, I'll do it for those reasons. Not praise or glory."

That stood out to Gill. He never thought of Kasey as some sort of glory hound, but seeing him take on the role of a silent hero while managing to run a ranch from the ground up, all for restoring the island and benefiting all who lived there… that was noble. There was no stopping Kasey from leaving, but he stayed and worked hard so that everyone could be happy.

"I decided to tell you because like you said, gossip spreads fast in a small town. I know you can keep a secret and I know I'm going to need your help."

"My help?" Gill asked, confused. "For Castanet, I'm willing to do anything, but what could I even help with? I wasn't chosen for this." It actually did make him envious that an outsider who barely knew Castanet, her history, or her people would be chosen over somebody like him who had been willing to sacrifice everything for the island.

"Because this is really hard for me," Kasey admitted, sounding slightly hopeless, but mostly frustrated. "Finn doesn't know all the answers to this bell thing and the Goddess can't help me right now. It took me forever to figure out where the first bell was and- Look, I need help. You know everything about the island and you're the smartest guy I know. So, can you help me?"

Just like that, the envy was gone. The combination of Kasey showing further humility while simultaneously stroking his ego made Gill refocus on what was important. "You know I will do anything to save this land. Of course, I'll help."

From that day forth, they were friends. With the help Gill offered, Kasey would eventually go on to ring every bell and bring prosperity back to Castanet. The whole experience was exhilarating, but also humbling. He had misjudged Kasey's determination, spirit, and heart. Good people truly came in all shapes and sizes, and he promised that he would never lose sight of his devotion to doing right by the people of Castanet, especially those he treasured most.


Present Day

Chess: a game of strategy and wits… with the right people, at least. With Kasey, it wasn't so difficult. Thankfully for Gill, Kasey liked the game well enough, even if he lost all the time. Of course, they always drank when they played chess, so maybe that was why the rancher liked it so much. Gill usually didn't care for alcohol, but wine was the exception, though only occasionally. His father had a wine cellar below the house with plenty of options, though they limited themselves to one glass on the nights they met to play. That was probably less than what Kasey would have liked, but it was enough for him.

"Well… I'm at a loss," Kasey sighed, looking at the board. He didn't have much left to work with without his queen or rooks. With only one bishop, one knight, and a few scattered pawns to defend the king, he had little hope.

"Well, you are improving," Gill admitted, even though Kasey was nowhere in range of being a threat. He lacked the years of raw experience that Gill had on his side.

One thing that most people didn't know about Mayor Hamilton Graham was that he was an excellent chess player. One would never have guessed that the seemingly bumbling mayor was so good at such a game, but that was because he didn't show it out of some inane fear that it would hurt the image he was trying to convey. The only people he shared the skill with were Gill's late mother (who was also excellent at the game) and Gill himself. Gill remembered all those evenings he played with his father, quickly picking up the game and playing at his father's level by age ten. A few years later, he surpassed him.

But he soon learned that Castanet offered little challenge beyond that. When he was studying abroad, Gill was fortunate enough to play with other talented chess players from around the world, but following June 24th, 2008, he was stuck on the island without competition. His father had grown weary of playing him, so he was out. Luna could never remember how the pieces moved, so she never played with him either. Kasey was willing but offered no real challenge. And Molly, despite her brilliant mind, was even worse than her brother at chess. The only person who could give Gill a challenge was Calvin. Despite never beating Gill, the young archeologist could take him by surprise from time to time with clever plays and he was the only person in years who had taken Gill to a stalemate. But Calvin was typically unavailable, so Kasey would have to do.

"Well…" Kasey took a sip of his wine and moved one of his pawns forward.

"Interesting," Gill noted. "Look, since this game is pretty much settled, would you mind telling me why you moved that piece?"

"Um… I didn't know what else I could do. Not like I have many options."

"I see… Check." Gill had moved his rook, threatening Kasey's king. "You know, my father always said that you can tell a lot about somebody by the way they play chess."

"Really…" Kasey had to move his king out of the way, leaving his bishop unblocked. "How did he figure that? I mean, it's just a game, right?"

"It is, but I see his point." Gill took a sip from his glass and captured Kasey's bishop with his rook.

"At least I'm better at this than Molls," Kasey said, eyes scanning the board for moves. "You'd think she'd be better at this, given how freakishly smart she is."

"Intelligence doesn't equate to a multi-talented individual," Gill answered. "Your sister is smarter than you in many subjects, but she doesn't know how to apply that to a game that requires planning and reaction. You're a little better at that. Give yourself some credit."

"Yeah, but we've been playing this game for years and I've never come close to matching you. How does Calvin do it?" He moved a pawn forward, seemingly accomplishing nothing. It wasn't like it was close enough to the other side to trade for a queen or anything.

"Like I said, you have improved. I see you making little plans and setting little traps. Every once in a while, you make good moves. The problem is that you're inconsistent. You struggle with thinking ahead more than a few moves. And you keep moving those pawns and you don't know why. Meanwhile, I was readying myself for that capture for a few moves now and you didn't even see it coming. The way I play the game, every move has a purpose."

"Wow, thanks, rub salt in my wounds," Kasey chuckled.

"I'm not trying to gloat, I'm just pointing out what I've noticed. Sometimes, you lack foresight."

"Wait, we're still talking about the game, right?" Kasey asked, looking back up from the board.

"Yes… Don't feel bad if you can't play chess like me. You're still probably better at it than most people on Castanet."

"That's not saying much," Kasey replied, raising an eyebrow. "Who the hell on this island plays chess beside us, your dad, and Calvin?"

"Nobody, but given the chance, how many of them do you think would do well at this game? You only think you're bad because you only play against me. It's like comparing a cat and a rat. Clever and resourceful as the rat is, the cat is a better player."

"So, I'm the rat, huh?" Kasey laughed, shaking his head. "I almost feel like you're negging me here. You ever use that sorta thing on women when you were traveling?"

"Negging?" It was rare that Kasey used a word that Gill didn't understand.

"Forget it, forget it." He looked back down at the board and sighed.

"You are far more talented than you realize, Kasey," Gill continued, taking the opportunity to transition to a new conversation. "Which is why I am asking you to attend the next delivery to Hazelwood."

Kasey's eyes widened. "Oh no, I'm not doing that again. I hate the Haze. Those people… I don't like them."

"Kasey, Carlos is from the Haze and he's your number two," Gill reminded him.

"Carlos is different. He was a non-violent offender and he was only there for selling weed. Those other guys…" Kasey shuddered slightly, taking another drink. "Gill, some of those guys are murderers. I don't feel comfortable there."

"You don't have to feel comfortable. The fact is that they'd rather talk with you than they would with me or my father. And you're good at talking to people. Better than I am. Just follow my direction and you'll do fine."

"Hmm... Okay, for the sake of Castanet, I'll think about it. But if you find somebody who can do the job better, I'd appreciate it if you could ask them in the future." He moved one of his pawns forward, only one space away from becoming a queen, even though it would be captured by one of Gill's knights the moment it hit the spot.

"I'll keep that in mind," Gill answered, though that was a lie. There may have been other suitable options, but he'd rather have Kasey do it. At the end of the day, he trusted Kasey more than any other available candidate. And despite his hesitation, Kasey would come around. He already foresaw that. Trustworthy and predictable. A good combination. And with that, he moved his Queen to face Kasey's King. "Checkmate."