The intense burn on the back of my neck encourages me to make quick work of my chores. As always, it is all sunshine and happiness in the Marshes. Contrary to the populace's name it's mostly farmland. Ingenuity on my ancestors' part, taking full advantage of the sun and the local source of fresh water. Hard work is nothing new here and almost a comfort to me.
I was knee-deep in her crop field pulling weeds as a favor to Miss Kingsley up the hill. Next, I would be fixing her well, I didn't catch everything she said on her ever-growing list. Her house and yard are growing increasingly neglected. Ever since her husband passed and her son ran off. Sometimes I envy her son. He wasn't honor-bound to this town like I was. Ok, if I was completely honest, I envied him all the time.
"Joe?" A feeble voice called out to me, barely making it across the crops. Lifting my head, I saw Ms. Kingsley standing in her doorway while the frame was holding her. Her wrinkles cut deeply into her sun-aged leather skin. Her hand out sketched and clutching the door frame for balance. Quickly, I got up and crossed the yard. Fear that she would topple over at any moment moved me faster.
Her legs start to tremble and she begins to wobble. My heart drops then slam into my ribs, I pump my legs harder, my feet eating up the distance between me and the house. I start skidding to a stop when nearing the house so I won't slam into her. Ms. Kingsley's legs gave out I barely caught her in time.
"Whew, that was a close one," she said, trying to be nonchalant. Her shaky exhale gave her away. I helped/carried her to her chair, allowing her to use me as support as she slowly eased down.
Deciding to let her collect herself before I start talking. I inhale deeply, filling my lungs in prep for a long-winded lecture.
"Ms. Kings-" She waves her hand, dismissing me before I could even start.
"Joe, you need to stop worrying about this old broad." Her voice was firmer now, not what I would normally hear out of Ms. Kingsley.
"You have your farm and family to care for, on top of all your schooling." She says, wagging her finger in my direction as she goes.
"You know," she pauses and looks around despite us being in her home. Awkwardness begins to fill the air and I begin to fidget with my fingers.
"I don't agree with the Elder ." She said in a calculated whisper. My eyebrows shot to my hairline, and my heart began to sprint in my chest. Speaking against the Elder was a death sentence!
"Lower your eyebrows boy, I'm old and dying, let them put me to death." She says with a wave of her hand and a dismissive grunt.
"I don't agree with all this evil business, it's a long-ago hoopla that's going to ruin a sweet young man." Her voice was thick with emotions and tears that hadn't appeared yet.
"You need to run, boy, and far. Go home, act normal, make some final memories and wait until nightfall," she paused, knowingly. My jaw clenched and my hands turned to fist.
"What are you talking about?" I roared in an outburst. I was to honor our land by fighting our enemy, fight to keep our way of life. The Utopians want to change and steal our lifestyles.
"No child," she answers. Her soft response cut through my shouts. I hadn't realized I was shouting all my thoughts out loud.
"We are the ones doing the stealing and changing and Kuraim is using you as his tool." The candor in which she spoke unnerved and embarrassed me. I felt rooted in place. My cheeks began to burn as blood moved and leaving color across my face.
I've never heard the Elder's name spoken before, only seen it written in my studies. My eyes flicked between her and the door. Thoughts of just running out of this house danced in my mind. Mingling and mixing with my doubts of the Elder, my envious feelings of "the boy who ran off". I wanted to be that boy.
