How we meet

Chapter 7

You stood crouched beside a berry bush. You plucked a few off. The sweet and ripe flavor was wonderful. The slight tartness at first made you tense up. You looked at Burgh and back at the bush. Were you going to start shoveling berries in your mouth? You probably shouldn't, but you did. You picked a small mountain of berries that couldn't fit well in your hand and feasted.

Burgh stood there awkwardly. He watched quietly, with an awkward smile. You shared the berries with your Venipede. Calmly listening to Burgh.

"You know plants." he spoke as you tossed a berrie up into the air, Venipede jumping to catch it.

You nodded. You've studdied them unofficially your intire life. That's what you read basically all the time. Herbs, spices, berries, bushes, and srubs, you name it you knew it.

"I wanted to see how much you knew." Burgh explained, "We've concluded that there isn't enough diversity in the fauna here." he gestured to the greenhouses.

"You want me to help with that?" it didn't surprise you for some strange reason. It was shocking sure but you just didn't know how to react. A job is a job. It's better than some fast food place, or strange odd jobs.

"You'll be doing of plant caretaking, planting, setup of greenhouse Interiors." he listed off things that you understood and things you needed to ask about. "We'll also field research and intake if that-"

"I'm in!"

Oh field studies! They sounded wonderful. You and venipede could count, oberve, maybe even find new plants! Mushrooms and fungi, vines, and sprouts. It's a dream. To luck out more than imaginable. You could nearly do it for no pay if that was the case.

"I didn't get to talk about pay or your conditions?"

"I want to have as much hands on work as possible! I'd love to do anything out in the feild!" you were practically drooling over the idea. You realized something though. "I don't have a house..."

That was a very important oversight on your part. You can't set up a bank account, no mailing adress, no way to recive pay. Oh how were you ever going to get a job.

"I'll make arrangements." Burgh said. He looked at his phone. He typed a few things and spoke again, "It'll take more time then. If you need something I'll do my best to assist. Come back every few days to check on things."

You nodded and stood up. You had long finished your berry snack and needed to wash your hands of the tart juice.

"Alright, I'll be back in 3 days or so? Hopefully that'll be a decent start." you picked up your bag, and Venipede climbed on top of you. You needed to wash your clothes too, you bet that you smelled by now.

"Where's the bathroom?" you asked. Perhaps you could find a way to bring some soap until Burgh figured everything out. Hand soap isnt the best but it would work.

He gave you the directions and you left. You fiddled with the things in your bag. You only had a 2 or 3 shirts, 1 pair of pants and 2 pairs of shorts. Even that felt like too much something for the heat and something for the cold. Nothing more. Too many things and movement becomes hard.

You had a water bottle, so you filled that full. You took out your feild guide. Your clothes, the camera, you had bandages, floss, toothpaste, and a toothbrush in a small pouch. You struggled to collect a few odds and ends that tumbled out of your bag. A small but sharp pocket knife crashed into the floor. You panicked for a second forgetting that you even had it. A small plastic bag would work through. You had brought a few for food and goods so you thought you could make it work for now. You held the bag open underneath the soap dispenser. You thought it might be useful to help wash your clothes later tonight.

With that, you left the building. You were once again thrown into the sea of moving people. A swarm of legs and arms. Everyone is on their way to work or home. You felt out of place every time like clockwork. Nothing here felt important to you. It was simply somewhere to stay until you could move on to the next place. You left town to go to the woods. You entered the quiet woods and felt relaxed.

The city wasn't something for you. You hated the crowds and the loudness of it all. It was too much and it made your heart race and your breath speed up. Your hands got all clammy and you felt like you needed to cry because of it all being too much. You'd tap and tap your foot as you watched the world go round, and it made you even hate the feeling of your skin; somehow everything was wrong when you were in the city.

The woods were so much different. A small stream was nice background music as the birds sang in a choir. The leaves blocked out enough sun that it wasn't too bright but also not too cold. You always had the right amount of balance in the woods. It truly felt like a wonderland.

You walked much further than you did the last few times you had been there. You had a feeling that you'd find something that could make you feel perfectly happy today. Through bushes and shrubs, you and venipede danced. Your wandering was wonderful, to stroll through the wonderful wild plants. A wonderful whistled toon and you and your venipede tiptoed across fallen moss-covered trees and the moss-lined streams.

Tucked away behind foliage, the bushes, and vines. A small cottage. Vines traveled up stones and wood. The windows were foggy. The door was covered in cobwebs and dust. It flew through the air and it clung to everything abandoned inside. With joy, you stepped inside.

Chairs were tossed around, a table littered with grime and dust. Shelves cabinets are empty and bare. A small wood fire stove was full of charcoal and ash. Worn and torn sun-bleached bedding speckled with leaves. You had found just the thing you had hoped for.

You instantly went to work. You cleared out the vines that had made their way inside through the open door. You pulled the bushed back from the sides of the cottage inspecting for holes in the walls. You pulled out the chairs and table. You opened the windows, wincing when it screeched open and the hinges looked like snapping. You opened the cupboards, empty if not for a few dirty dishes and cracked jars. Empty chewed-threw boxes.

You took them out. The dirty dishes and the broken ones you were careful with. Finding an empty beat-up box to place them in. Everything was moved outdoors. You dug through the closet pulling out a broom and dustpan. How lady luck has made an appearance today. You swept and shooed away dust and spiderwebs. You took away leaves and dirt from the house. The place was dirty and worn but something you could fix.

You slept inside the cottage that night. Venipede clung close to your side underneath your blankets and slept inside the small cottage that you were more than happy to make into your own. You slept peacefully and happily as a small fire burned in the stove.