Fervency

CHAPTER: T H R E E

"Here's a mask" Winston tossed her a nurse's mask. She sent him a look of question and then he explained that it was to cover the smell.

"Your first job is to pick up klunk and then dispose of it in the compost." he instructed, motioning towards the cow pies. "There's the shovel and wheelbarrow. When you're done, come back here and I'll show you were the feed is."

Picking up klunk made Elodie's day lengthen considerably. It was a very tedious job of wheeling it back and forth multiple times, but by mid-day, she was finally finished. With a short sigh she went to find Winston, who was currently in the process of fixing something.

"I'm done. Where's the feed?"

"It's all behind that door over there. Should be labeled."

It wasn't easy work hauling around the feed, but it was a lot better than what she had been doing. Elodie couldn't help but bond with a goat that had a limp. Because of his condition, he was receiving less food and the others got to it quicker. So she made a point to feed him individually. Then she continued to feed the cows and pigs.

Her final stop was the chicken coup. She opened the door to find a dozen of newly hatched baby chicks.

"You can take a break for a while." She turned to find Winston, "Once you're finished with that, anyways. You have one more job for the day, but I'll call you when I need help."

"Alright, sounds good."

"How's the Greenie holding up?" She heard Newt ask Winston from outside.

"Better than most of you." Winston replied. He gave him a small pat on the shoulder and then walked back into the barn.

Newt raised a brow. He expected Elodie to be out of the coup by now, so he decided to see what was going on. Small chirps filled his eardrums.

"Have they hatched already?" he breathed, traveling forward to lift a small black and white chick into his palms.

"Looks like it" Elodie smiled. She already had one nestled in the middle of her hand and was stroking its head while its eyes were slowly beginning to close.

"Did you need me for something?" Softly, she placed the chick down into the hay.

"We need to discuss jobs"

Newt led her back to the homestead. They found Minho and Alby sat at a table with a paper before them.

"Hey there, Greenbean. Hows your first day?" Alby greeted. Elodie sent him a shrug and then plopped down beside him in a chair. 

"Tired?" he asked. 

"I don't get tired" she joked.

"Here's the list of jobs and what they are. Circle your top three and we'll go from there." Alby slid her the paper in front of him. Minho rolled the pen her way. 

Elodie caught the black object with her right hand and then lifted the paper. Her jade eyes scanned the page for a moment, reading it over. Finally, she circled three and placed it in Alby's hands.

"A cook, trackhoe and builder... " he read aloud. 

"A builder, huh?" Minho repeated.

"Are you doubting me?" 

"Never" 

"Anyways" Alby inturrupted the two, "Decide which of those jobs you want to shadow. Let let us know tomorrow and then we'll show you where to go."