DROUGHT

CHAPTER 10: THE MAN INSIDE

BUCK

What a beautiful day! I woke up with a very uplifting spirit, like I was new even though I was down yesterday. I put a towel on my hand to cover my head from direct sunlight because I want to be productive today. I looked at myself in the mirror and told the man in the mirror how handsome he was. I got the shovel and the rake because I want to plant vegetables that I can get from the neighbor. Like Mary, I want to survive the family as well; that is why I will produce something that we can eat, and if you think about where I can get water for my veggies. Mary will do the rest. I looked up at the sky and could still see the big thing that sucked all our water. Science, until now, cannot explain it. I heard on the news that the lost cities are already found; how funny are they real? Even the sunken ships from world war I and two. There's a lot of garbage, too, and of course, the living things underwater are all dead; Lein wore a dress because she doesn't have something to wear makes me itchy. With my rake and shovel, her dress doesn't match. The dress she makes me wear smells like it was in the cabinet for a long time, but it is good that I have something to wear rather than being naked. I went to the neighbor's house beside Sammy's and opened their storage room.

"Hi, Mr Roman", I greeted when I saw the old man staring at me while getting all their seeds in their storage room.

"This would be a wonderful day; I will make food for us. I will plant, and if you are thinking, where can I get the water? My wife Mary will provide us." I said, and I came closer to him and whispered, "She is an expert in everything" then I laughed while putting everything I would need into gardening. I took his tobacco and winked at him while his face was in awe at seeing me.

"Who is that girl?" The old woman asked her husband,

"I think she is Sammy's niece, " the old man answered.

"She mentioned her wife, Mary."

"I don't know", I heard them talking while watching me leave their house.

I put the rake and the shovel down and look at the field where I will plant the project veggies I plan. I have seeds in my belt bag. I am still determining what kind of seeds they are, but I can grow them. The soil is cracking because of the dryness. I tried to touch it, but its texture is like sand now, and the seed will not grow in this soil. It is so dry and hot. I lit the tobacco with the match I took from the couple's house. I coughed in my first puff, but when I puffed and puffed again. I have already used to it, and now I smoke like a pro. It is good that I am out because I have been waiting for this for so long to take over. I pick up the shovel and dig while the tobacco is in my mouth. It is too hard to dig in very dry soil; that is why I tried to use my hands for my digging could be faster, but the ground was too hot, burning my hand. I tried to use the rake, and I was not even half what I was doing. I am already sweating too much. I unbutton my dress to let air get inside to give coolness, but the sun is setting bright, making the wind hot. I remove the towel from my head and wipe my sweat. I feel itchier, but it is nothing because planting is important to me now. I saw Josh standing and secretly watching me. I don't know if he is spying on me. I call him. I whistle to get his attention, but he pretends he cannot hear me.

"Josh", But he is not looking. I am trying to figure out what he is doing on the other side of the road.

"Josh, you will look at me, or I will go there and drag you?" I asked him, and he suddenly looked at me. See? I know that he can hear me. He doesn't want to mind me. He immediately crossed the road and walked toward me.

"Come here, boy. The old man needs you here."

I saw him shake his head, and he walked slowly toward me. He looked around to find the old man because he couldn't believe he was standing before him. I took the tobacco out of my mouth and came closer to him. I made him look at me, and then I smiled to calm his tension because I knew Mary had scared him yesterday.