Novels2Search
The Farmer
Chapter 17

Chapter 17

It was mid-day. The sun lay bare at the sky with no clouds in sight. Only the cold wind is keeping the temperature in check. The field is extremely damp, having left the faucet turned on the entire night till today. Water flows freely but not enough to actually flood the area. The animals roam free, they were able to spend the night inside the barn. It didn’t matter to them where they sleep at all.

On the porch of the farm house lies Bob, still wounded from last night’s fight. He was drag by Agta up the hill which can be seen from his clothes, being more torn that it was yesterday. He was more fatigued than injured. There are cuts and grazes all over his body. Lying on the wooden floor he still breathes while on his side are two wolves resting with him. Both wounded the night before, a cut can be seen on the dark-furred wolf across its body, the same can be said on the ashen-furred one.

Bob slowly regain consciousness. His body hurt for every move he makes. Struggling to get himself up. Along with him the wolves become aware of him. Finally, he was able to sat his body up with their help and looked across the farm. One of the wolf, Agta, runs across the field and brough them some fruit. Carrying it one by one to him till there’s more than enough to feed a small group.

But he couldn’t stop him, he is more focused on the pain that he is experiencing and trying to remember clearly what happened the night before. He grabs one of the fruit and wipes it with his torn clothes taking a bite out of it. Satisfaction fills his mind as he remembers that he didn’t have dinner at all. Unaware that it’s already midday he sat by the porch trying to regain some strength before doing anything.

After eating some of the fruits that was carried to him. He saw the field completely drench and he hurriedly turned off the faucet. Tottering over the way, trying to make sure he doesn’t hurt himself more in the process. He felt a searing pain all over his body while walking underneath the burning sun. Immediately he returns back to his house and up to his room. Opening his closet, he saw the same 4 set of clothing that he wore in this past 2 year, each can only be identified of how worn out it is. In one of the drawers are some rags that seems to have come from the same material as his clothes. He took it and went downstairs, finally cleaning his wounds. With a basin that he has kept underneath the stove he washes his body. The mud has mixed with the dried blood. Every stroke is done with a gentle manner.

With all the blood and mud finally cleaned off, he surveys his body and saw cuts all over it. The cuts were shallow and none of them could prove fatal. Then from across the room watching everything he’s doing are Agta and Atga. Licking their wounds time after time.

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Bob then refills the basin with water and washed their wounds as well. He didn’t have any more cloth to cover all their wounds and in his mind all of them are shallow. Which caught his attention.

‘I was cut several times and I felt like I was dying yesterday…’ he mused.

His head hurts from thinking then he blocked those thoughts for the meantime. He went outside and sat by the porch, taking a look at the farm. The wolves sat next to him.

“Thank you… Both of you.” He said while petting the both of them before they rest their head on his lap.

Some of the animals are resting underneath a tree, while the chickens decided to rest a top of the cows who didn’t seem to mind them. Seeing everything is peaceful he shuts his eyes and tries rest one more time.

By the time he wakes up the wolves have left his side and have finished off the fruits on the porch. The clouds have finally appeared and the temperature is equitable.

‘I should probably bury them.’

He took a stroll around the farm and decided to bury the bodies down the hill close to the forest. He wouldn’t want them to rot but what could he do, he is more tired than he had ever been. Walking closer to the place where they fought, he surveyed the surroundings and found the traces of battle, but there are no bodies lying anywhere. He looks closer to see if they left but it seems like they just disappeared without a trace.

The unnatural occurrence daunted him. More fear of the adventurers overcame him but he shy away from the idea. And just focuses on grabbing his machete and axe that was left on the ground.

“I must be losing my mind.” He mutters.

On the spot where their bodies should have been remains an item that seems oddly familiar to him. Inspecting each of the spot, he ended up with a necklace and a red crystal sphere that fits in his palm. He took the both of the item inside his house and inspected it.

Marveling at the items before him, he knows it came from the adventurers. Who else carries such strange artifacts with them? He thought.

After quite some time of admiring what he had obtained he deemed it useless but to serve as a mere trinket.

‘Carrying this with me, won’t benefit me. But I know just the place where to place it.’

He went outside and into the field carefully passing through.

“Jack! I have some gifts for you.” He excitedly walks up to the scarecrow and putting his arms around its neck.

“The visitors the other day left something. It’s useless to me anyway, so I decide to give it to you.” He said while patting its back.

He took the necklace and put it round its’ scrawny neck. Glancing at the crystal sphere, he inspects the scarecrow trying to figure out where to put it. It would be too big to serve as an eye nor can he balance it on its head.

Thinking nothing more of it he shoved it inside the chest of the scarecrow. Then it began to glow red.