The Wastelands

Chapter 44

Marcus had one day left to come up with a sum of money he'd never dream of seeing. One day to spend with his family and attempt to enjoy his last few breaths as a free man. He begged the college for an extension; just another week or a month to help, but they wanted nothing to do with his pleas. He felt useless and afraid, not wanting to leave his family when they needed him most.

The farm had seen better days. When his father took over the land, they hoped it was the answer to their financial prayers. They did well—at first—selling to markets and shops over fifty miles away. As the years went by, people wanted more exotic produce, things they weren't able to provide and the farm dwindled.

They lost money.

They lost friends.

Most of all, they lost hope.

The hope that once got them through the day vanished into thin air. No matter how many times his mother prayed in church or turned to the heavens for an answer, they were left with nothing. The man in the sky hid behind the clouds watching them suffer.

The classes Marcus took showed him better ways to market and run the farm. With them, he planned to expand their markets and make more money. The diploma would show people how serious he was, but the college stole it from him. They forced him to see himself as less than worthless; like he had struck rock bottom hard enough to crack the concrete.

The drive home from work on his last day of freedom was daunting. He took the same roads, leading to the same place at the end of the gravel drive. The crops had just been planted for summer and would sprout soon. A beautiful green would flow through the hills and life would be continue to be hard.

The house came into view but something was different. Rather than seeing his father out in the fields, the man jumped down from the back of a large box truck. Charlotte walked outside, carrying a cardboard box across the porch. She had a bounce in her step as she strolled to the truck.

Marcus pulled into the driveway and quickly shut off the engine. He rushed out of the car and ran to the porch, meeting his father by the steps.

"What's going on? Why is that truck here?" he asked in a frantic tone.

Ted smiled and said calmly, "We're moving." He brushed past Marcus and walked into the living room.

His son quickly followed, shocked at the emptiness of the house. The furniture had already been moved and most of their belongings were in the back of that truck. He heard his mother toiling away in the kitchen, carefully packing their dishes. He trailed after his father into the dining room and stood in the doorway, blocking anyone from getting out.

Ted grabbed a box from the kitchen floor and headed for the exit, "You should head upstairs and get your things together. We've got until curfew to get everything in the new place." He stated.

Marcus shook his head and planted his feet firmly in place, "I'm not doing anything until you tell me what the hell is going on. Why are we moving?"

Ted sighed and set the box on the counter. He placed his hands on his hips, knowing he wasn't going to get much done without an explanation, "We sold the farm." He snapped, "A man approached us a couple months ago and gave us an offer we didn't want to refuse. He's a very generous man and owns a few buildings in town; one of which is an apartment complex. He set us up with a very nice place six blocks from Charlotte's school. It's cheaper than the farm and we can get by for a couple months with what's left."

"Left after what?" Marcus asked, his heart pounded nervously in his chest.

"We paid your school bills with the money. It was the smart thing to do." Lyndi stepped in and answered.