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Post by zero on May 17, 2008 13:27:23 GMT -5
Part 2, Chapter 2
Where are you Eric?
Quote: "Are you really a broken soul? That you have not the energy to passionately enjoy the things you once did? Or are you a shattered dreamer? The hard work and effort you put into everything going to naught? You cross a fine line between the two, but at the end of each path lies understanding....and the drive to keep going, despite the hardships. Because you'll always find it darkest before the dawn."
Eric Class-April 20th, 2008, in a moment of deep thought.
(Mineral Town, Winter 20, 2 hours after Eric warped, 2007)
After taking a shower and double checking herself, Mary wore her best winter outfit to celebrate her birthday. It was really just a heavy jacket that resembled her usual attire, which was underneath it. However, the real things that stood out was a necklace, or at least part of it. It was half of a heart. Eric had given her it for her birthday last year, and he had the other half. She swore to herself to only use it on special occassions. Today was one of those days.
Looking outside, she noticed that the blizzard that was supposed to happen today, wasn't happening. She recalled Eric's words from yesterday.
"Don't underestimate your boyfriend. I'll find a way to visit you somehow."
Her heart fluttered a bit and she thought that he actually caused the blizzard to stop. It was logically and physically impossible for him to do it, and though Mary highly believed in logic, she had a small hope in her heart that he did this just for her.
So with all the dignity that the now 19 year old woman could muster, she went down the steps, and saw the smiling faces of her mother and father. They had made her favorite breakfast: Pancakes, Veggie Latte, and some crissounts. She thanked her mother for cooking and her father for getting the ingredients, which they did every year.
After finishing up her breakfast, Mary debated and chose to close the library today. Eric had promised to be there for her, and thought about the blue feather that dissappeared from the Market the other day. She knew Eric had a romantic personality to him, so she deduced that he bought it to suprise her with. So she kept him to his promise and waited quietly for him.
(Spring 6, Forget-Me-Not Valley, 6:30 AM 2108)
Eric woke up after the first night of a dreamless sleep. The first thing he smelled was eggs cooking. Managing to get out of his sleeping bag without disturbing his broken arm, he walked up to Flora, who was making said eggs over a campfire outside.
"Morning." He said rather quietly. He had put his cap in his backpack. It was the one thing his grandfather had given him to get him into farming. Now that he failed those expectations handed on to him, he didn't deserve to wear it. So he just had his long hair pulled back into a ponytail, and his usual cowlicks were matted down into bangs.
"Oh! My...." Flora had said when she looked at her new......roommate. Yesterday had been really hard on him, so she decided to be gentle to him today. Usually she didn't like seeing people so depressed, but this guy.....he was different. It was like he had lost everything and had nothing left to live for. Looking into his now muddled eyes, she realized with a bit of sadness that this was a broken man.
"Would.....you like some eggs? If not, the Inn not too far from here will let you use the shower so you can change. Be careful when re-wrapping your injured areas, and scrub gently." she told him.
Eric just nodded at her and got his backpack from the tent. He didn't have a change of clothes. Thinking back to yesterday, he was shocked with how Mineral Town had changed so much and yet so little in 100 years. He had been crushed to find out the farm had been abandoned 50 years ago, and that the farmer's son, most likely his own son, had given up farming to be a lawyer. A lawyer of all things! Not even in high school did Eric ever be interested in law. He doubted Mary, or any of the other girls that could have been the mystery wife was interested in law as well.
Mulling over his own thoughts, he didn't even see Marty bump into him.
"Oh, sorry....." Marty began to say until he saw Eric's depressed self. "Is something wrong?" he asked.
"Nothing that involves you." Eric said bitterly as he walked passed him.
Noting that his bag resembled Marty's own, the near copy of Eric asked, "Hey, are you.....or were you a farmer?"
Eric didn't turn around, but he answered the question without letting Marty seeing his near to tears face. "Was." he said.
"Ah." Marty said in what he thought was an understanding tone. Then he let out an 'oh!' and put some clothes on Eric's good shoulder, knowing that he probably didn't want his face to be seen by him. "Flora went through your stuff and noticed you didn't have a change of clothes, so she asked me to get you some. Might not be the best fit, but its better than the torn stuff you have on right now." he explained.
Eric just nodded his head and continued to the Inn, where he was greeted warmly by a woman in her late 40's, maybe early 50's.
"Hello there. My name is Ruby. Me and my husband own the inn. Flora told me you'd be stopping by for showers and such. Just go to the second floor, and it'll be the first door to your right." She told him.
Eric thanked her and went up the stairs with a bit of difficulty, and entered the door she had specified. It was a modest bath, and it had one toothbrush out with his name on it on the sink, toothpaste next to the brush. After brushing his teeth, Eric took a hot bath. His muscles were rather cramped and sore, so this would probably help him in the long run.
As he was now alone and had time to think, he remembered some of the tender moments he and Mary had shared. Kissing the day before the accident, him taking her to the clinic when she sprained her ankle, the day she agreed to be his girlfriend. So many good times. All gone because of his own mistakes. After cleaning himself up, he got out of the tub carefully and watched the water go down the drain, noting with bitter irony that it resembled what his own dreams and life were going through. Down the tubes.
(Mineral Town, Winter 20th, Noon, 2007)
Mary had grown worried as the hours slowly ticked by. Everyone from the town ahd been coming over to greet her and wish her a happy birthday. So far she had gotten a present from everyone but Eric and Gray, and the birthday cake had already been well eaten until only two slices were left. It was actually Eric's favorite cake, Chocolate Fudge Chip.
She remembered the promised they shared last evening, replaying the words in her heart and mind over and over again.
"I promise I'll always be there for you."
It was time to test that promise. At least, until Gray came in.
He had nothing in his hands when he came in. Mary wondered if he forgot that today was her birthday.
"Hey Mary. Happy Birthday." Gray greeted her as he stood next to her.
"Oh.....thank you." Mary replied. One theory down the drain.
"Ummmmm........Mary......there's something important I have to ask......." Gray started to say.
Mary looked up, her curiosity just barely showing itself. "I'm sorry Gray. Can it wait? My mind is a bit.....out there today." she explained.
Gray stumbled a bit at how blunt she was, but he shook his head no. "This is something I gotta ask. I......you know I've loved you Mary, for a very long time. I also you have feelings for me. Even if you were dating Eric, your face still blushed when I came to the library to visit. So..........I need to know........will you marry me, Mary?" Gray, asked, getting down on one knee and showing her the blue feather.
"Oh.....my....." Mary said, rather startled. Her parents who were also in the same room had gasped. "I.......I......" She began to say before she forced the words to come out of her mouth. "My answer is........"
(Forget-Me-Not Valley, 2 PM, Spring 6th, 2108)
Eric was in the clothes Marty had loaned him. Ruby took his old ones against his will and went to go sew them up as good as new. Until then, he had to wear a white shirt, some jeans, and boots. He still had his fingerless gloves on. However, he wondered why Marty had non-farming clothing. At the current moment, he had just finished rewrapping his broken left arm. He felt a bit better than he had this morning, enough to bring some life back into his eyes.
When he stepped outside, he went to the farm Marty lived on. What he saw shocked and disgusted him. Walking around, he saw that the field was overrun by weeds, rocks, and tree stumps. There should be spring veggies or fruits starting to grow there, little stumps to bloom into delicious veggies for money and food. When he went to the barn, he was pleased to see that at least a cow was living there, and it was healthy. He gave the cow a pat, and got a 'moo' in return. Closing the barn door behind him, he started to go to the chicken coop, but decided against it. From where he was, he could tell that from the broken coop door, probably from a wild dog, there was no chance of raising chickens. Then he checked the pond to refill the watering can. It was well cared for, clean. So with his little mini tour done, he walked back to the entrance.
Marty came out of his house when he saw Eric at the entrance to the farm. "Hey there. Do you need something?" he asked.
"How long.....have you been working here?" Eric asked.
"One year and four days." Marty told him.
Eric looked horrified at that statement. "Haven't you done any farming at all?" he asked.
"No. Never really found the time." Marty said.
Eric looked ready to slap him, his farmer's pride taking over rationality. "'Found the time'. You live on this farm for the goddess's sake! How can you not find time to tend to it?!" he shouted.
Marty looked as if he had been slapped by Eric words, and decided to send something just as hard back at him. "Nothing that involves you."
Eric was now looking at him with pity. "You're a fool." he said before he started walking, more accurately limping, away.
"How am I a fool?!" Marty shouted.
"Look for yourself. The answer is all around you. The farm reflects the farmer." Eric said as he went back to Flora's tent. He found her coming out of a cave holding a piece of pottery with dirt stains all over it.
"Well, what do you think?" Flora asked as she showed it to him.
"Ummmm......it's from the early B.C.'s-A.D.'s?" Eric guessed.
"Close. These are some of the things from an ancient civilization of advanced people. Me and Carter looked up some information, and found out this valley has four caves, and two of them house extremely rare one of a kind items." Flora explained.
She had gotten all of Eric's attention. "Where are the mines?" he asked her. "The first one is right here. The second one is down the path, which leads to a lake. The third one just recently opened with the landslide that brought you here, and it's behind the waterfall." Flora explained, pointing to the general direction of each one.
Eric tried to take out his hoe, but found himself unable to. He just didn't have enough strength to do anything much.
"Hey, think you can do me a small favor?" Flora asked.
"What?" Eric asked, now depressed again.
"I overheard you telling Marty you used to be a farmer. Whip up some of that knowledge into him. All he does is wander, listen to Lumina's piano playing, and forage for just enough money for him to last the next day." Flora explained.
"I'll do what I can......" Eric said. "Because.......I doubt I'm anything anymore but myself."
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Sorry about that, mistake corrected.
) I can't take it!
