Tales: Journey to the Blink

Chapter 1: Letter Sent and None Received

CHAPTER 1: Letter Sent and None Received
   

‘I said I’m leaving!’ Nate bellowed, storming through the door as he yelled. Ettie followed him, keeping a safe gap between herself and the angry farmhand. They walked a great distance in silence, passing cattle as they moved through the field. Not wanting to push her luck, Ettie never asked Nate where he was going. She felt certain that his bad mood would eventually peter out and they could return to the farmstead as though nothing had happened. The lass was used to Nate’s temper; she knew better than anyone what set it off. Ettie was well aware that he felt trapped living the way he did, and that he longed for more than just the life of a simple farm boy. Sixteen years she had lived and grown in Nate’s company; she was practically family to him. Though the girl was no stranger to his behaviour, she was nonetheless unprepared for his sudden outburst; it wasn’t something a normal person could get used to.

Still, she followed. Ettie knew she had done nothing to provoke or deserve Nate’s anger, but it was their friendship that pulled her along after him. She stayed Nate’s silent companion the entire walk, not needing to know where they were going or when they would return. If she had asked, no answer would have come, for Nate had no destination in mind and was too flustered to realize that Ettie had followed him in the first place. Nate was only aware of his legs, and the pull he felt away from the farm.

Finally, Nate slowed as they approached the old bridge. This place marked the border of their land, and was typically the spot where repeatedly, Nate would turn around after much internal turmoil and march home defeated. Like the countless other journeys that brought him here, Nate stood motionless, struggling with two equally powerful concepts that warred within him. On one hand, he wanted to choose his own life, make his own decisions; he wanted to be free. But the cynical, and perhaps more logical part of Nate’s psyche knew that he was being ridiculous. His brain tortured him with memories of past failures, reminding him of his place in the world: the second son of a humble farmer with no money, no prospects and no worldly ambitions to speak of. He knew all this, and was quite aware of his position in the world. He was nothing more than a peasant.

‘Time to head back, don’t you think?’ Ettie finally spoke, her eyes tilted towards the sky. It was quickly growing dark, and storm clouds were sweeping over the horizon. ‘I’m sure it’ll rain, and I don’t fancy being outside when it does’ she sighed, lowering her eyes on his with a slight smile. Her tone was light, but held humour in every syllable. Nate jumped slightly at her address; he thought he had been alone for the entirety of the journey. His cheeks reddened slightly as he answered.

‘I didn’t know you followed me’ he grumbled moodily, ‘you shouldn’t have come.’  Embarrassment tinted his features, temporarily distracted from his pending decision. The youth looked back across the bridge, letting his eyes wander closer to the distant forest he never dared enter. He always flirted with the concept, never quite getting there. The tumbledown stone bridge he stood in front of had always kept him from crossing. Perhaps it was the state of the thing that made him wary, or the unknown dangers he would meet on the other side. Or maybe, it was simply the act of crossing over that had kept him for so long. The finality of it weighed deeply in his consciousness. Somehow, he knew that if he ever strayed far enough, he would never go back again.

‘Well, I did follow you; can’t change that’, Ettie couldn’t help feeling slightly impatient, her eyes drifting towards the foreboding storm clouds rolling closer with every passing minute. Nate glared at her defiantly, wordlessly daring her to continue. She smirked slightly before neatly tucking her dress behind her as she sat down, folding down the long blades of grass at her feet.

‘What are you doing?’ Nate frowned, furrowing his brow.

‘It appears you’re going to be a while, so I may as well get comfortable’ she yawned.