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The Farmer
Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Early in the morning, Bob has already change to his working clothes. Wearing a pair of muddy boots that he had placed by the front door last night. He went to the barn and the animals are still sleeping. The sun hasn’t even started to rise but for him, experiencing the cold wind early in the morning is a great way to start the day.

He took out an apple from his pocket that he had grab on his dinner table earlier and ate it as he gazes upon his field figuring out where to start working. Then he notices on the farthest part of the field, some of the fences are broken.

He grabs his machete and sheath it on his side and brought his axe with him. Inspecting closely to what cause the fence to break he saw fur that belongs to a wolf. Underneath and is placed near the fences are footprints which confirms that it belongs to the same wolf.

‘A lone wolf?’ He wondered. For as long as he has known, wolves’ travels in packs and it makes no sense for one to wander especially in the peninsula.

“For the first time in 2 years, a monster finally discovers this place.”

Despite being a normal animal, Bob regarded the wolves as monsters as they will most likely target his livestock. He went back to the barn and made sure that there are the animals are safe. He tried to look for prints anywhere else but he couldn’t see it.

The animals at the barn are already awake, but he is hesitant to let them out. He doesn’t have any hay as he just lets the animals eats the grass that is surrounding the place. In the end he did let them as they might just starve to death.

Nesbitt’s horse that is tied to a tree right next to the barn is eating some of the grass near it. Bob walks over and fills the bucket with water. He smiles while slowly caressing the horse and talking to it.

“I really think being alone here is making you mad”

Nesbitt is already awake and is looking at them while smiling at what he just witnessed.

“There’s no harm in to talking to them, I always feel that they have something to say” Bob replies, getting on Nesbitt’s joke.

“I’ll leave at first light. Is there nothing else I can do for you?”

“Just put out the request. There’s nothing much to do here.”

“Do you want a raven?”

“Not really, anytime you send me a raven I’ll just tell you what I need.”

“Having your own raven would be very beneficial”

Bob laughs at the thought. He really didn’t like having a raven. It is indeed very useful for communication but it’s not like he wants anyone to talk to. All he’s ever talks to is Bara and Nesbitt who goes all the way to the edge of the peninsula just to talk to him.

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Nesbitt rode his horse and Bob saw him off riding to the distance. Bob thought of the experience that he might have spent too much time alone but disregarded the thought short after. He enjoys the occasional visit of the only two who visits him but only occasionally. He loves being alone with his thought and sharing it to the animals and plants, even the trees surrounding him.

“I’m not really going crazy am I Jack?” Bob said while standing next to a scarecrow wearing the exact same clothes that he has but only worn out. Over its face that serves as its eyes are two coins each with a symbol of a lily can be seen if one is to look closer. The coin is pierced with five holes that serves as a way for the thread and for the coins to be sewed to the head.

He laughs at his own idea of talking to the scarecrow.

‘3 days before the Adventurer’s Guild opens.’

Bob is counting the days before any adventurer would go to his place. He didn’t expect much as he is used to doing things on his own. Hunting is the only thing that he has a problem with, he is not as adept to it as he is in carpentry and cultivating farmlands.

Glancing back to the place where the fence is broken, he estimated the materials that he would need to fix it. He grabs his tools and with some left-over lumbers that he had fixed the fence. It didn’t take too much time to fix it. The newly placed lumbers’ looks very distinct compared to the older ones.

For the rest of the morning, Bob just inspected every post and fence that surrounds the place. There wasn’t anything to harvest at the time and he thought of watering the crops soon after.

‘A snare trap for a wolf is useless. But that’s all I have at the moment.’

He returns to the barn and went behind it. Crates containing different tools and accessories that he uses around the form. On one crate is filled with ropes that he braided from dried fibers. After looking at it he notices that he’s also running out of ropes. He doesn’t know when he is going to use it next but it doesn’t hurt to have some more.

Some of the plants that he planted are jutes, which serves as his main source for rope after drying and twining it, then braids it and fashion it to a rope. He returns to the field and cut some jutes then left it out to dry. He plans the trap to be near the tree, that once the wolf triggers it, it would hang by the tree nearest to it and he would decide then what to do with it.

Then he made his snare trap for the wolf and placed it near the newly fixed fence. Only after finishing it did he remembered that he doesn’t have any bait. ‘What am I supposed to bait it with? Apples?’ Bob just scratched his head and left the fully functioning trap.

There was nothing more for him to do around the field aside from watering the crops which would take most of his time. While resting near the barn and looking at the animals roaming free, the thought of having easier access to water filled his mind.

The air changed a bit which shifted his glance across the sheep. From the distance he saw a silhouette that matches a creature that he has seen before. He immediately grabs a bow and some arrow that he placed earlier in one of the posts. He gunned towards the wolf while whistling to grab the attention of the animals.

The sheep runs away from it while the chickens are flailing about when the wolf appeared. Thinking that he wouldn’t be able to reach in time, he pulled his bow and loaded an arrow. He points it at the wolf the upward for a proper trajectory, he fires it and to his surprised he managed to land a hit. The arrow stuck to its’ back.

Feeling good about the shot he tries to fire another one as it only startled it. He pulls his bow and fires another shot at the frozen monster. Immediately after the second arrow was release the wolf fled. It tried to run away; but it already knows that the arrow would hit again. As it tries to frantically lunge back, one of the chickens went straight at the trajectory and got hit. Taking the opportunity, it fled as fast it came.

Bob was shock and run towards the place. The animals are still in fear as they were still unsettled. He slides towards the pierced animal lying on the ground. He puts the animals around his arm

‘Susan.’ Bob whispers while tears are filling up his eyes. ‘You didn’t deserve this. I’m sorry’