The Best Story Ever (New)

Parte Nine: The Only Chapter 9

I've been at the camp for almost a day now. Its about 11:30. We ran here only yesterday. I missed the camp breakfast that they rationed out this morning. I was too depressed to eat.

Eventually, Jimbob came with food and told me to eat it. He said it would make me feel better then left me alone. He's been a real friend to me ever since I've come here. He was pretty close with my aunt. No! He is close with my aunt! Despite all that had happened, I still worry for her. After all, she could still be alive.

I've calmed down now. I stopped crying an hour ago and feel more relived. My stomach however, is still in knots. I forced myself to eat the food Jimbob gave me, anyway. Despite that I didn't have an appetite.

I rise up from the ground. I wipe the remaining tears from my face and arch to the door. I reach for the handle a few times, until I finally build up the courage to open the door and go outside. I don't make eye contact with anyone. Snow crunches as Mr. Buzzleboop heads over to me. "Hey Martin, I'm sorry about your aunt, tell me if there's anything you need. Okay?" I nodd without making eye contact with him.

Mr. Buzzleboop proceeds to fill me in about everything. Half the town was able to survive the blizzard and the goblins by taking shelter here. They have survived by planting snow peas, which obviously grow in the snow, and by gathering food. Everyone has found at least one of their presents here besides Bobby and Shigeru, obviously. His parents are still in Japan, probably worrying about him there.

Mr. Buzzleboop sends me over to a woman named Wendy. She has black hair and dark skin. Her hair is tightly braided up in a bun. She wears a green winter coat to keep from the cold. "So, your Martin, huh? If you're feeling up to it, we need someone to collect some firewood. It's pretty easy. Can you do it?"

I nodd to Wendy and ask, "Yeah, how do I start?" "It's easy, just take this axe here and cut down any tree that looks dry and small enough to take. It might take a few swings to do it." Wendy hands me an axe and sends me on my way. She has Shigeru come with me in so we can stick together. I guess he has already gotten the hang of it.

Shigeru doesn't say anything on the way, which makes sense since his English is really bad. He stops me in front of a tree and points. I understand and start helping him chop at the base. He takes one side of the tree, I take the other, and we begin our work.

Chop. Chop. Chop. Chop.

I take a second to stretch my arm.

Chop. Chop. Chop. Chop.

Shigeru takes a deep breath to refocus.

Chop. Chop. Chop. Chop.

Suddenly, there is a great cracking noise and the tree comes crashing down to the side. We work for a few hours cutting the tree up and moving the pieces of wood back to camp. It takes almost the entire day to complete, as it is no easy task.

Afterwards, I eat a dinner of potatos and rabbit and sit down in my section of the cabin I was assigned. Bobby, Shigeru, Jimbob, and two other adults share this cabin. Its pretty big for being built quick, but still incredibly cramped. At least in the old factory I had room to breathe.

At about ten, everyone eventually goes to bed. Our beds consist of blankets spread around the floor. I lay awake in the dark for a while. I try to go asleep but my worries and thoughts keep me awake. Just when I feel I am about to cry again, I feel a pair of hands holding my back. I look behind me. Shigeru is sitting behind me, hugging me. Carefully without waking anyone up, I softly cry in his arms. Shigeru is crying too, looking up towards the night sky outside a Crack in the hut.

We sit together for a while. Crying and understanding the crazy situation we were pushed into. Without words, we understand one another perfectly. We have become survivors. Allies in the same war. Farmers, in the same grossly fertilized field.

Is this a turning point for the farmers? Or a dinner bell for the goblins?! Like this chapter and find out!