Refuge

Chapter 15

We all stood there individually reading the message and my temper eventually subsided. Cursing at the sign won't heal my anger, only @#%* Killing this place's boss and all under him then getting the #$%* out of here with Katie and going back home.

Katie stood up and announced, "Guys! I know this seems rough but so is cooking with a room full of raw ingredients and people who can't cook! We will get through this the same way! So I would like us to band together once again and let's get this @#%* over with!"

No one said anything so she asked, "So does anyone in this room know how to farm?" Five raised their hands. "That's great! So would you five mind coming up here to the front of the crowd and explain what we're doing?"

Four of them did so. One with a heavy tan announced, "We're gonna use these tools to demolish the fence and bust out'a this @#&* stinkin' ^#&* hole of $%&*! Who's with me?!"

A few "Yeah!"'s and "Yes!"'s were heard, but one of the farmer men stepped forward in front of him and said,

"No! We're not gonna do that! This may be rough but imagine, we could be killed at sight, followed and killed, or starve to death! So He told you what we're not gonna do, I'm gonna tell you what we are! We're gonna farm some beautiful crops and wait for better odds! So you," he pointed to a few men and me, "You and you, and you, and you, you too, you get up here too, And your three up here, we plow. After we get a good head start, ten of you will plant the seeds. The rest of you run the mill! When a little lass stepped up earlier today and banded us together we made changes! We enjoyed our food, we ate, it was great, we worked with what we had. Please let me follow her lead and lead all of you towards a meal as well! Who's with me?"

Two "Okay"'s or "Yes sir"'s were heard on each side of the room. "But even though you don't want to, who's gonna do it so we have a meal?!" He asked. Around ten to fifteen hands were raised. He is not off to the great start that Katie was but he may get us somewhere.

I had been the only female chosen to plow but probably the only one capable of it. Katie volunteered to plant seeds along with a couple of women and the last couple of men, no, boys. They aren't old enough nor smart enough to be called anything close to an adult term. That is other than @#$*.

I walked into the other room and grabbed a plow, looking forward to not being stuck in that old @#&* mill.

I carried it gracefully outside the door while several men struggled to carry theirs due to the shape. We exited the shed and all grouped together to determine where our rows would be placed.

They decided to make them so close together that once we all lined up next to each other only every other person in line would start. I was one of them chosen to stay behind and watch some grown men sweat and struggle to find out what I was in for now.

They immediately struggled but tried their "best" to go as fast as possible. After a few minutes, most of them had barely traveled a yard. "@#$*," I thought aloud.