After looking around her cottage, Natalie walked out to the storage shed. She had notice that a crop of Blueguards, survived the transition of her Sanctuary. That they hadn't been wiped, was a surprise, but when she checked them they weren't soulbound. She pulled them out, one of the first things she needed was gold.

These flowers had been on sale in the bustling market square and had sold very well from what she had observed. Natalie also looked at the harvested oats and wheat, they would need to be threshed. She'd be able to get something for this harvest as well.

Natalie looked further into the dark storage shed, to one side, she could see something that looked like a crude machine. It was fairly large and had a very big wheel on one side of it. Wrapped once around this wheel, she found a wide leather belt. It connected a smaller wheel to a wooden handle. Which in turn went to a section in the middle of the machine, that had flat wooden grates laying almost on top of each other in a line. Under this was a long wooden tray.

She could see another belt connected to a small wheel and crank shaft, this was connected to the big wheel and seemed to be what would turn it. The belt from the small wheel went though an opening in the wall. She went outside of the big shed and around the side she found a fenced in round yard.

The belt of leather went into this yard and connected to a series of wheels and crankshafts in the center of it. From what she could see, this was all in turn connected to a pole that jutted out into the yard, it was about waist high. Laid across the pole, was something she had become very familiar with during her training with Sam, it was a harness.

This whole thing was ment to be powered by an animal. More then likely a horse, pony or donkey would be harnessed up and set to walk in the yard. Going around and around, to get the wheels and cranks on all the machines working. Natalie turned back into the shed, reaching out, she touched the machine.

The knowledge that this was a threshing machine, how to work it and keep it working, was loaded into her mind. This was so sudden, she staggered a few steps, that had felt so strange.

Natalie shook her head, trying to recover, slowly her mind settled. She needed animals, that requires gold, of which she had short supply. The threshing would have to wait, Natalie went to the tool shed, grabbed a few gardening tools and walk to the closest field.

Time to get to work, she proceeded to hand till the soil. Getting seeds in and something growing, was a priority. Doing it by hand was her only option. Two hours later she had a fairly large section done, but when she looked at the field, it was barely a quarter of it. This was a start, Natalie then went to her seed garden and harvested the plot of Chance Berries. They would be the first ones she would set to growing.

Turning back to the section tilled in the field Natalie planted the seeds. She had to till more of the field after a bit, until she had half of it done. Just so all hundred of the seeds could be planted. Straightening up to ease her sore back, and wiping a tired, dirty hand across her forehead to clear sweat from her eyes, Natalie nodded to herself in satisfaction, a good afternoon's work.

She then trudged to the well. She still had to water all this, she groaned softly, this was going to take forever to do. It was then she notice a hand pump sitting beside the well, she frowned what was that for? Under the pump spout was a stone dip, almost a shallow tough, that lead a little towards the fields. She smiled, of course, if she dug a shallow trench to the field, water would travel to it and down the farrows she had made in the field!

Natalie laughed, all she had to do was pump. She eyed the thing, yeah this was going to hurt she decided. But no pain, no gain! She set to and dug a shallow trench to the field. Then went back to the pump, grabbed the handle and got to work. After a few minutes, she was rewarded with a spurt of water, which landed in the stone channel.

By the time she had pumped enough water, to soak the half section of the field, Natalie felt broken. It was hard to stand up straight, but she was happy. She had done it, this crop was going to be her cash crop. With it she would get enough gold to buy the animals needed to work the rest of this farm.

"Sam do I have enough time to sell the Blueguards," she aked. "How close is dinner?"

"No Natalie, I left it as long as I could," Sam said. "but you have barely anytime for a shower before dinner, I was starting to think I would have to call you, before you finished the watering. The Blueguards will have to wait until tomorrow."

"Ok that's fine Sam," Natalie replied. "At least the Chance Berries are seeded. Log me out please Sam."

Natalie wasted no time once out of the pod, she grabbed her things and went straight into the shower, she reeked. The pain she had been feeling was gone, only the mental tiredness was left. That didn't stop her body from reacting to the perceived work by sweating. Natalie had set the pod for a self clean, it would be done by the time she came back for her night shift's.

This was the first time she'd had to use this feature of the pods, it showed how hard she had been working in the game. She finished up her shower and went downstairs, it was quiet she couldn't hear anyone. When she approached the kitchen she found cold cuts of meat, a salad and sandwiches left in the food keeper.

If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

Looks like her Mum and Dad had entered the game as well. Natalie gathered up what she wanted to eat, it made a huge pile on her plate, juggling that and three drink bottles, one of water, one of juice and the last a soft drink, she settled in the other room to eat and watched live streams of others playing Freedom.

Natalie had almost finished her food, when her family started to come downstairs. They would all have to eat quickly, it was nearly time to login for work. She said hello, gave her parents a hug each and then went back to her pod, time for the night shifts.

Natalie and Sam worked without paused to get the shifts done, checking the raft of bots always took the longest, then programming them for the nights assignment, checking to make sure that was working as intended. Recall of the bots to the maintenance area to clean and prepare them for the next shift, then start it all over again for that shift.

As usual it was 6am before she was done. Natalie had Sam put her under for only one hour's real sleep, after what she had seen last night, she felt it might be a good idea to check the gardens. She knew her father wouldn't short cut the work for them, but she wasn't as certain about her brothers.

When Sam woke her she went straight outside to the garden and found her father already there.

"Hi little Bee," he greeted her. "Thought you would be in the game by now?"

"No Dad I just felt the need to check these gardens," Natalie said. "did you join the game? Did you like it?"

Natalie couldn't help but ask the questions, the thought of her sensible, solid work ethic parents, actually playing what they termed a child's pastime, had her burning with curiosity.

"Yes your mother and I both entered the game yesterday." He laughed. "We found it very enjoyable, I can see what the attraction is now."

Natalie helped him to set the garden to rights, they were working quickly and chatting as they went, the garden was almost done when her brothers burst out of the house.

"You get to feeding the birds," Brian yelled as they ran closer. "I'll start on the hoeing and weeding."

They both stopped suddenly as they spotted their father, then Natalie, watching them from amongst the rows of vegetables.

"Your late." Dad said a frown on his face. "I asked you to set your alarms, did you forget?"

Natalie quickly finished up what she was doing, and beat a hasty retreat, she didn't want to witness the dressing down her brothers were about to get from Dad. She rushed inside to find her mother and Chelsea preparing breakfast and getting things started to fill the food keeper for lunch.

Natalie put the fresh vegetables, fruit and eggs into the fridge, received a thank you hug from her mother and a smile from her sister, along with a big bowl of creamy porridge and a plate of bacon and eggs on toast. Her sister pushed her to her place at the kitchen table, then poured her a glass of juice to go with it.

"Eat it all Natalie." Mum said. "Your losing weight, make sure you set Sam to log you out for lunch."

"Yes Mum." Natalie said, she knew, if she said anything else she would receive a lecture on looking after her body and feeding herself properly. She was very hungry and she gained her mother's approving smile, as she went to the pot on the stove to get another helping of the porridge.

Soon everyone one was at the table, her brothers were very subdued, when everyone was nearly finished, their father told them they would all be doing the morning house chores before the tutoring sessions.

"I could..."

"No Natalie." Her mother interrupted. "You are not the maid here, and you have as much to do as the rest of us, more if anything, your father and I want this family to realise, that you aren't playing a game. Natalie you are working hard for your future."

Natalie had to fight hard not to cry, this was the first time anyone had acknowledged her efforts since she had done those horrible tests at school and it was only two months ago she realised, it seemed longer.

Her mother rushed to her side and hugged her to her.

"I'm sorry Natalie," she said softly. "I left you to suffer it all alone and refused to see the obvious signs of that suffering. It stops today, we will all be there for you, no more trying to face it alone."

Natalie was crying now, but she was also smiling when she looked up at her mother, and then at the rest of her family, they all smiled back at her and her brothers gave her serious determined nods. She knew then they wouldn't be pulling anymore stunts on her again.

"Thank you," she said. Such small words with such a lot of power in them. They somehow conveyed her love and gratefulness to her family so easily.

"Alright Family let's get this house clean!" Their Dad yelled, startling everyone, they all turned and stared at him, then laughter burst forth, he had a dusting mop on his head and Mums frilly pink apron on.

Cheerfully they all set to work cleaning, it didn't take long at all and they were done, but it had been fun, laughter and bantering had made the chore enjoyable.

Natalie went upstairs to her pod with a lighter heart, it was nice to know her family was behind her. She entered the pod and told Sam all that had happened.

"That's excellent news Natalie." Sam told her. "I have news for you as well, the board of directors for the work division, have sent you a bonus of 50 credits along with this message."

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To Natalie,

It is rare to see a young person with such a strong sense of duty and willingness to work as you have shown, in both your home life and working schedule. You are to be congratulated for a job well done.

Records show, you also have an account for the game "Freedom". This game has been recognised as a form of schooling, for individuals such as yourself. Since you have enter this game, it is felt, that you do not need to do extra work in your night shift. The second shift you have been doing, has been removed from your roster. Continue to do well in Freedom, your night work and helping your family. Again Well done Natalie.

sincerely

Trent Mallory

Systems Director of work Ethics

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"Do I reply to this Sam?" She asked. "Is this a good thing to have them take my second shift away? They are watching me in the game?"

Natalie was getting more and more worked up as her mind was spinning. It was all too much, she was overwhelmed.

"Just breath deeply Natalie." Sam soothed. "It's more then alright, and they aren't watching you specifically all the time, they just check now and then on the recordings I have."

Natalie stared at the desk, they checked up on her? Sam had recordings? Well yes she supposed she already knew that one, but she had no idea that anyone but, her or Sam, could access them.

"They can do that?" she asked. "I thought everything I do in this pod was secure, that only you and I would see it."

"No Natalie, they are allowed to check," Sam said. "That's how they make sure that you are following procedures and rules. Also, your on a literal probation period, for the next four years, that also includes weekly monitoring."