The Calm Before the Storm
It was a beautiful, sunny day, as usual, in the city of Eden. Now Eden isn’t a typical city, there aren’t any skyscrapers or factories spreading smoke into the air. There’s one road that leads from the one gate Eden has, then off into the distance connecting it with the town of Marhelm, they give Eden supplies we can’t make for ourselves, although there haven’t been any deliveries in three months. Other than that Eden is completely self-sustained; solar power for the few building that actually require it, rainwater storages larger than houses, and a large forest to the west of the village that is full of game that can’t be found in the farms, that’s where I come in. I work in the largest of the three farms in Eden. In these farms we have over sixty cows, thirty pigs and a countless amount of chickens that just appear as one great mass of feathers, over three acres of corn, wheat and cane fields and four mills. I am part of a team of thousands that work in the farm. Our job is one of the most important but for some reason it doesn’t feel like it. Anyway, on one particular morning I was on my way to work when Mr Bayes from next door stopped me on my way out the door. Mr Bayes wasn’t the slimmest of men and had a beard that smelt of a strange mix of incense and blue cheese, it made by nose wrinkle. “Good morning Tom, how are you today?”
Even though we didn’t like each other, politeness is the most important of values in our society. “I’m feeling wonderful today, Eugene, what seems to be the trouble?”
He frowned, probably at the thought of me feeling good, “I wanted to know if you had any spare time to come and fix the fence at the back of my house? A wild boar ran from the forest out the back and smashed right through the blasted thing.”
I sighed, when Mr Bayes asks for me to do something it isn’t a question. “I’d be happy to do it, Eugene. I’ll swing by this afternoon, before the Yearly Gathering.”
Mr Bayes smiled, “I’ll pay you for it of course, but I do expect the job to be done before you go wandering off to the Gathering.”
I nodded, something wasn’t rights though, a boar shouldn’t have been able to get in because there’s a metal fence that separates the forest from the city… “Of course Mr Bayes, well, I must be off I’m afraid I’m late for work.” And with that I spun on my heels and set off to the Farm.
My day at the Farm consists of egg collection, milk collection and fertilising. Technically fertilising is a rotating job but I always end up with it because no one else wants it and I’m too polite to say no. I would’ve changed jobs long ago if it wasn’t for spending time with the most beautiful woman I have ever seen, Katherine. As I’m pulling on my overalls she walks up behind me, I know she’s there without turning, I can smell the scent of roses as soon as she walks through the door.
“How are you today, Tom?” She gives me a heart melting smile that makes my knees wobbly.
“I’m great,” I smile “as always.” I add with a slight touch of sarcasm.
She nods, “I take it your coming to the Gathering tonight?”
My smile dropped, “Well, I might be able to make it, but I promised to fix Mr Bayes back fence.”
She looked disappointed, “Well that’s unfortunate. I was really hoping to see you there.”
I nodded, “Well I need to finish the fence first, I made a promise.”
Suddenly her face lit up, “I know, I can help you fix the fence and you’ll be done in half the time, I can get James to come and help too.”
I shifted uncomfortably, “Well, it would be good to have some help, but I don’t want you guys to go out of your way.”
She laughed, “Helping you isn’t out of my way, it’s no trouble at all.” The bell sounded signalling us to get to our job stations so I said a quick goodbye to Kate and moved on.
