THE CALM BEFORE THE STORM

In the first week of autumn Chu built a solid tower about fifteen feet high at the eastern entrance. A trapdoor and ladder provided access to the platform overlooking the fields from behind the log wall. The platform could hold two men comfortably while iron bars installed on the four large windows thwarted attacks by climbing creatures.

It made no sense to a military man like Mr Thomas.

"Why the hell did you waste this slow week on a tower there?" Shouldn't we construct the damn thing where we need it the most? ON the western side facing the forest?"

"Elder, elder. Don't fret the little things. Eventually we will have it done. This tower is really to pacify Clod's mind. The guy is literally waking every night and pacing around the workshop. The group sleeping there is beginning to get nervous."

After being worried over a few nights when Clod began to pace and mumble to himself, the boy gave Chu a fright. One night he shook Chu roughly awake and started droning on about Inyoni, cornfields and chopping. Chu nearly pissed himself staring back into those blood-shot eyes. An accompanying twisted face looking like a maniac did little to alleviate his fears.

Chu would die rather than to tell this tale to Mr Thomas.

So as to pacify Clod, Chu embarked on a defensive plan to protect the guy's fields. He constructed the watchtower and commissioned Dyna to have her wolves stay out at nights to aid in detection and rapid response.

The residents had two seasons of interactions and were used to these animals. There could be no mistaking Dyna's wolves for others. These fellows looked too abnormal, they nearly doubled the size of a normal wolf and could now fight one on one with large predators like a Jaga. Worse yet their growth showed no signs of slowing down. They were already the size of a large tiger in Chu's old world.

'What the heck man! What kind of steroids was the girl feeding these animals!'

With Clod contented, work resumed as normal. Dareck continued to tinker with the prototype assembly for the portcullis and drawbridge. Presently the shaft rested and moved in grooves to hold it in place. Although it served its function, he decided to in the future construct some kind of bearings. This would reduce the amount of power needed to drive his gear machinery.

In the evenings while Chu and the others trained, Jim and the rest of the men started the building of the log houses. In this first month of autumn they focused on most of the labor intensive work. Because soon Doug and his group had to leave.

At the end of the month, the wagons sent by Griz arrived. It delivered raw materials for the smithy and reloaded with the new invention as well as loads of lumber. The lumber went to the blacksmiths who now constructed the water well improvements. The invention and Griz had a destined meeting in the Capital.

Doug and his group bade a teary farewell to the farm residents. Even though they met on hostile circumstances, the brief stay at the farm opened their eyes to the world. Hard work, good food and intensive sword training turned them into stocky and well-developed young men.

"Good luck brats. Remember you are going out to have a taste of the world. Don't stray from the guards assigned to the convoy on the way. Use the time wisely to observe and experience how life out there is."

Mr Thomas gave them a pep talk before they left. He deposited a small pouch in Doug's hand. He continued talking.

"Take it, it's a little spending money for you guys on the trip. Enjoy the adventuring life, but try not to go too wild out there. Best to lose all this money rather than your lives."

"Thank you Elder, we will not let you down."

Doug and the others replied while bowing in respect.

"Hey, make sure you get me something good from the Capital okay."

"Yes little miss, we will try to find something nice for you."

Chong and Singh were busy pacifying their little supervisor on the side. No one could tell who exactly spoiled who in their time of interaction.

And so just like that, the farm residents were reduced by six in number.

***

Chu learned how to prospect and find water. On the advice from Dareck and Clod, he decided to dig an additional well. He nearly slapped the two for not letting him know sooner, as Doug and the others had just left. They would dig the new well outside the farm at a distance away. This was because Chu wanted in the future to have a Master smithy.

He knew enough in planning so as to have major industrial companies located away from residential areas. The small smithy at the moment was okay for now, but insufficient in the future. He settled on the place he once showed Clod before, located half way between the farm and the main road.

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A Master blacksmith workshop was the cream of the crop when it came to cutting edge industry in this world.

One morning the group set out to survey and choose the right geographical location for the well. At least that was Chu's thoughts on the matter.

"What are you doing?"

Chu asked.

"Looking for water."

Jim replied casually. The other men at the side nodded in agreement.

'This brat could be so dense sometimes, it was a crying shame.'

"But what the hell is this!"

Chu grabbed a line from Ming.

"Sometimes I really want to know which hole in the mountains you particularly crawled out from. This is the most efficient way in finding water. With skills like this Jim could have surely joined the support teams in the Military."

Mr Thomas replied and spoke to him condescendingly.

Chu stared at Jim who held two sticks walking around the place. Apparently when they crossed or pointed towards each other meant a prime spot to find water or dig a well.

On receiving Jim's signal the group wasted no time in digging the new well. Toll drove the wagon carrying stone slabs they foraged to construct the walls. In a day's time the well was completed in addition with muddy water springing out to fill the bottom.

After a week later, it was the source of crystal clear water.

'Holy crap, this shit actually works!'

"You need to open your mind some more Chu, so as to learn the ways of the world. You're too easily confounded."

Ming consoled him over dinner in his sage mode mentality.

Chu understood he had a lot to still learn. Ming however was not finished.

"That's the reason you get so easily frightened. I nearly died stifling my laughter when I saw the look on your face that night. Clod really scared the living hell out of you, I swear you were going to piss your pants."

"Oh, when was that?"

Mr Thomas joined in the conversation.

Over the dinner table in the workshop Chu chalked up one of the most embarrassing moments of his life.

Harvest this year went on without a hitch. The Inyoni threat to the crops did not surface this year for some reason. The group made short work of reaping the fields since they now had experience hands. Rugol and Stavia had just as much skills in farming as Clod therefore farming matters became much easier.

This time Chu had no problems when paying taxes to the village Chief. He still believed the state milked him on the fees but he bore with it for now. When the Chief kindly asked if they wanted to sell the extra grains, Mr Thomas politely declined. One look at that angry face told him all he needed to know.

Mr Thomas and Chu both came to the consensus that they had to begin storing extra grains. This was to offset a difficult harvest and also mitigate against some unforeseeable disaster. Besides, it was never a bad idea to store extra food.

Grains had a long history as the go to food for years of storage. Under a properly build dry storage, they could slowly end up with food to last years. As his organization pulled in new members so to would he increase his farms.

An old proverb such as 'an army marches on its stomach' meant something in the real world. As for him, he vowed never to end up in a situation of hunger ever again. One can never be too sure what the future holds for them.

As if to prove their point, about a week after the early harvest, a freak storm rampaged across the region from the south eventually heading into the north. Except for a few shingles blown out from the recently constructed workshop, the farm escaped with no major damage.

If the harvest had been delayed any longer all their hard work in farming might have been for nought. Without foresight, he and the other children might be riding that wagon as slaves in payment for lack of grains.

Since most of the pressing work was completed, Mr Thomas decide to make a trip to the village to check their vacant house. With winter around the corner he wanted to prepare it for new tenants. Ms. May and Jim would spend the winter there, seeking to draft in some new blood.

The couple was reluctant like the rest to leave this comfortable setting. Not only was their new home construction almost completed, they had also developed a close relation with similar companions.

Jim enjoyed his time teaching the children to set snares while regaining the thrill of trapping large deer and game with Lucy in the forest. May was content with her chats among the other women around a warm fireplace at nights.

"What the heck are you guys weeping for? It's not like I'm putting you out, who else am I going to send to the village? You elders have the most experience moving around the slums and moreover a good eye for picking the cream of the crop among bad apples."

"But Boss, why do we have to spend the whole winter, can't you surely send someone else? How bout Ming?"

Ms May pleaded her point.

"Are you that desperate to remain here? You want that fool to accidentally burn down our village quarters?"

May realized how desperate she was when she mixed in Ming with her words. In these couple of months she had developed an emotional attachment to this place. It was with pride she called this farm her home.

"Don't worry you wont have to go until winter begins. Remember it is important to either find good people or none at all."

Chu consoled her.

Mrs Thomas prepped a basket of preserved vegetables and smoked meats to carry for the Hoyle farm. This time Mr Thomas would drop off May and Jim in the village while carrying Chu and Lucy along with him and his wife. The plan was to just say a few words of hello, see the baby and then return to help in the village.

Under the cool autumn sun the hard ride in the wagon was as comfortable as it could possibly be. Chu was half dozing when they dropped of the others and made their way to the farm. He found himself in the middle of some deep contemplation, making some shock absorbers for the wagon.

They were about a mile away when Lucy stood up in the moving wagon as if her feet was nailed to the floor. The move caused the drowsy Chu to spare her a glance with his sleepy eyes.

The next moment he bolted up, sitting on the wagon wide awake because he noticed her frowning face and slightly twitching nose. In the forest he had come to know what such an expression meant. The words that followed though, was different and came as a surprise.

"I smell blood. Human blood."