Mountains and Buffalo.

Chapter 9.

"I see it. The light, I see it!"

Victoria rushed ahead of the group, and ahead of our guide, Ng. She was right; a couple of dozen meters away was a field where the sun freely shined. I could hardly believe it myself, but Victoria was in it, basking in the light like a reptile. I made it out.

"We did it, Flinty."

"Yeah."

She looked awfully happy. I was too, but likely for a different reason. I looked at the rest of the group. Skylark was being himself, Ng had a look of wonder, and Victoria's mental age regressed by twelve years.

This operation should not have made me feel as grateful as I was to be alive.

After Victoria finished, we walked around the crops and stood before the farmhouse. Linda was rocking in a chair. She perked up when she noticed us.

"Ah, you made it!"

Linda ran up to us. She exchanged hugs with Victoria. I couldn't help but think of what Victoria said about her, but still, the scene was... it was soothing to the soul. I felt a type of satisfaction I couldn't describe. It was borderline euphoric, watching daughter and mother reunite like this.

"Kenny? You have a weird smile on your face."

"I'm just happy for them, Flinty."

"Ah, alright."

Linda greeted all of us afterward, thanking Skylark in particular for the help and shaking hands with Ng.

"Ah, you. I recognize you," she said.

"Really? I'm quite surprised. I thought I was inconspicuous, even for an ordinary villager."

"You're the one who lives in house 32D."

"...It is concerning that you know that. But, I'm glad that I was able to properly meet you, head farmer Linda."

There was no first order of business to returning from such a mission. It was awkward, admittedly, because while Victoria had her clothes changed, Ng made conversation with Linda, and while Skylark intently watched the sleeping Kim, I didn't have anything to do.

"Hey Kenny, aren't you going to wash your shirt?"

"Wash my– you know what, that's a great idea. I don't know if I can, though. It's pure white."

"I know a trick to wash off any stain! Mom taught me it a while ago."

"Really? I'd appreciate you teaching me."

"Of course! Let's go."

Flinty and I exited the living quarters and ran to the front of the farmhouse. There was a basket of dirty laundry with a washboard inside beside a barrel of water. Flinty took a bucket and scooped up some water.

"First, you need to turn your shirt inside out."

Suddenly, I felt my body grow a little hotter.

"Uh, do I have to?"

"Well, you'll need to take it off either way."

Darn it, she was too convincing, but the idea of showing my bare chest to Flinty was too embarrassing.

"Kenny?"

"Yeah yeah..."

I took off my shirt.

"Alright, now come here."

She was kneeling beside the bucket. I slowly walked over to her and sat down. Thus began the cleaning of my shirt. I quickly realized that Flinty, what with her frequent pauses and occasional dopey look, knew about as much as I did. But, I didn't say anything. Something about this, even though it made me feel awkward, was nice.

"Ugh, try scrubbing it with your elbow? Maybe you just need a sharper surface."

"Right."

I tried that, but it didn't work.

"Gah! What is this stain even made of!?"

"Beats me."

"But it came from you, didn't it?"

"I don't know what it is, though. If I had to guess, then..."

My mind raced to a picture of a syringe. I immediately began to jitter.

"Hold on, give me that shirt, let me try!"

She snatched it from my hands and rubbed it against the waterboard. Her eyebrows were furrowed. She scrubbed it for a good three minutes before growing tired.

"It's no use. It isn't possible."

"That's fine. I can always just get a new shirt."

"But didn't Anabelle make it for you?"

"Huh? She only made the jacket, Flinty."

"A-Ah, w-well then..."

Her brows were still furrowed but her face was a pretty shade of red.

I grabbed the shirt back and hung it to dry. To be honest, the stain looked even worse, but that was neither here nor there. It was a little chilly being bare-chested though so I put my coat back on.

"..."

Dang. I already began to miss the shirt. I sighed. It would be fine, it wasn't a particularly rare shirt anyway. I walked back to Flinty. Frustration still lingered on her face.