Harvest Time

[Sir Walnut]

Tuesday looked around her small room, in her small house. She stepped out of her small bed and walked over to her small closet. She started getting ready for the day. As she pulled her shirt over her head, she saw a young woman walk in to her room.

"Good morning Tuesday!", The slightly pale woman said as she flipped her brown hair off her shoulder. Her brown eyes took in the entirety of the room, which was not much. The little girls father couldn't afford to buy her more then the clothes she owned and her small bed. He worked hard but ever since the late Lord took control of the kingdom the economy had been in a downward spiral. Tuesday always seemed fairly happy any way. But that's why she was here, to make sure Tuesday didn't suffer in these rough times. The little red-headed girl always seemed to be in a good mood. She was never sad and even brought a smile to her tired father's face.

 

"Oh! Good morning Ms. Alyssa! How are you doing today?"

 

"I'm just fine as always. Never any problems on my side of the pasture. But, more importantly how are you doing my little breath of life?" She asked Tuesday as the little rambunctious girl bounced out of her room and down the hall.

 

"I'm doing good. Daddy seemed a little sad last night so I'm gonna go get him a present!" The little girl seemed so excited as she washed her face, the grime of the previous day washed away.

 

"Really. What are you going to get him? A frog?"

 

"Nope."

 

"Then a bouquet of flowers from outside of town?"

 

"Nuh-uh."

 

"Okay then. What are you going to get him?" Ms. Alyssa asked the little girl, who was now heading for the stairs, that was seeming to get more excited about this gift the more they spoke of it. This brought a smile to the woman's pale face.

 

"I'll show you later." the little girl said, with a mischievous smile on her cute little freckled face, as she turned into the kitchen where her father was making breakfast. It was absolutely adorable.

 

As she rounded the corner her father continued to cook a tired look on his face which was wrinkled by hard work and a harder life.

 

"Tuesday! Who are you talking to?" He said to her in a joking tone.

 

Tuesday turned to Ms. Alyssa, gave her the quiet sign, a finger placed against her lips, "Nobody Daddy!"

 

He turned to his daughter who had started to take a seat at his home built table. She was alone as usual. The amount of times he had caught her talking to herself was increasing. It had been this way ever since she was little. She seemed to do fine by herself, never lonely or sad, so at least he had that to be thankful for.

 

"So, what do you have planned for today my little angel?", Father asked Tuesday as he set her bowl of porridge down on the table. She dove in merrily savoring every bite of the cheap meal. She was one of the happiest children he had ever seen.

 

"Oh. Not very much Daddy. Just gonna go exploring with my friends." She said looking straight into her porridge. He could tell that was not all together true, but what could he do. He didn't have the money to hire some one to look after her while he was at work. Hopefully she wouldn't go any where that was dangerous. He had taught her that well at least.

 

After breakfast they walked to the front door together. He reached down and gave his daughter a hug, while she leaned up to give him a kiss on the cheek. Then he walked out the door and headed to the mill for work.

 

"Alright, Ms. Alyssa, Daddy left so we can talk now." Tuesday said as she closed the door and turned to look for her friend. Ms. Alyssa always won at hide and seek but that didn't stop Tuesday from trying. She headed to the kitchen, red hair following her like a banner. Nope not there. She headed upstairs. Should she check the bedroom or the water closet first? She went into the bedroom, and peeked around the door frame. Nope, but maybe she's in the closet, that was always Tuesday's favorite hidey hole. She open the door with as much speed as her little frame could muster. Empty. She started walking towards the door.

 

"Boo!", Ms. Alyssa stepped into the room and shouted as she caught Tuesday completely by surprise, "Eventually your not going to let me sneak up on you so easily. Till then Tuesday your just adorable with a look of surprise on your face."

 

"Ms. Alyssa! That's not funny. You always win at hide and seek. It's not fair." Tuesday said with her best pout.

 

"Oh really. Well little miss last time I checked we always play hide and seek when your father leaves. And we usually have this same discussion after I win. Then later you say, "Oh we are playing tomorrow right?" And I say sure thing." Ms. Alyssa said as she leaned down to be face to face with the little girl she had made her ward.

 

Tuesday started smiling as soon as Ms. Alyssa stopped talking. She walked over to the door of her little home and placed her hand the door knob. "Yup. So ready to go see what I'm gonna get Daddy?", Tuesday turned to say to her best friend.

 

Ms. Alyssa nodded her agreement and headed towards the door. As they stepped outside the dim light of the overcast day filtered through Ms. Alyssa turning her slightly transparent. That was one of the things about being dead that Ms. Alyssa could never get use to. Being able to see through herself was always going to be slightly unnerving. That and the fact that she couldn't communicate with most people and her only connection to the world was an eight year old girl.

 

The two of them walk through the slowly dying town of Hallow's Rest. The cobbles of the streets were all in need of repair, many of them were crack or missing. Many of the homes needed to be thatched before the rains came in a few more weeks. All of the merchants had stopped even trying to sell to the towns people, for very few had the money for things other than food or drink. Those that did have the money spent it on liquor. Every since the rebellion the smaller town died while the great war machine of the current empire grew larger and larger. But, these things did not dampen the mood of the eternally cheerful Tuesday. They walked out of town ignoring the jeers of gangs of children and cawing of old crones as they bicker back and forth.

 

Outside of Hallow's Rest the near by forests had nearly over taken the once lush farmlands. Most of these lands, including the grounds of the town, were all farm land for the now dead kingdom. At one point in a time long past these lands provided food for thousands of loyal citizens. Now it was just a deep, forbidding forest and a dying town. The two companions gaily walked in chatting all the while of what each gray cloud looked like and never actually agreeing on a particular shape. Eventually the forest began to twist and bend in the opposite direction then they were heading. Under even the slightest examination the forest seemed to be turning tail and running away from that side of the forest. At this point the very sounds of the forest seemed to be muffled into silence, the fear that had infected the trees strangling the chirps of crickets and birdsongs into silence.

 

"Um...where are we going Tuesday? I don't believe we have ever gone this far into the woods before." Ms. Alyssa said eyeing the woods around and thinking she couldn't remember being this scared in a long time. Not since before she died.

 

"I don't wanna tell you because it's a surprise! And we haven't gone this way before. Normally we walk around but it'll take way to long. So we're going through!", Tuesday continued to bounce through the woods undisturbed by the frightening woods. They weren't even following any path simply walking through the mangled trees, Tuesday with an apparently unerring sense of direction.

 

The trees started to thin as the woods successfully escaped their dread. Then Ms. Alyssa realized where Tuesday had been leading her. Before the two of them stretched a great field that seemed to end where the northern mountains began. Wheat, corn, and barley stretched for miles. The amount of people it would take to man this agrarian metropolis would be more than all the farms in the region currently had. But, Ms. Alyssa new that even though this farm could give work to every man in Hallow's Rest, none of them would even dare go near it. For although they had forget that it lay just beyond the woods they still knew of it. The Dread Acres, as this farmland had been called for nearly a century, scared every man in this kingdom. Even the army would never go near it. Yet from this perspective it look quiet peaceful. Almost serene.

 

"Over here Ms. Alyssa! The present for Daddy is over here!" Tuesday shouted as she headed for the only orchard Ms. Alyssa had ever seen. It was acres of apples. Apples! She hadn't even seen an apple while she was alive let alone eaten one. She was going to get her father an apple! If he even saw it he would know that she had been out to the Dread Acres.

 

"Tuesday! You can't give your father one of those apples! He won't take it and you'll just make him mad!" Ms. Alyssa shouted after the bouncing wave of red hair as she bound through the fields. Tuesday stopped, and turned to Ms. Alyssa as the woman simply passed through the waves of grain.

 

"Why not Ms. Alyssa? I've never even seen an apple except in pictures! I think he'd love an apple! It's the best gift ever! I bet the lord hasn't even had an apple like this in his life!", Tuesday shouted, the amount of excitement increasing with each sentence. She was right about that last one though

 

Ms. Alyssa sighed and shook her head. There was no way to convince her otherwise now that she was this excited. That and really, what could she do other than convince her? The pair walked towards the magnificent orchard. The orchard was beautiful with tree branches decorated with leaves of emerald and fist sized red jewels ripe for harvesting. Tuesday rushed over to the first tree and leapt onto it, pulling herself up and climbed into its branches. Even a squirrel might not have been able climb it so smoothly.

 

"Oh! Be careful! You know I can't catch you Tuesday! Don't go to high! Oh...", Ms. Alyssa shouts up at Tuesday who seems to be going much higher than necessary.

 

The small child reached out for a shiny ruby-red apple. As gentle little fingers gripped the apple Ms. Alyssa saw the worst moment of her life, and her death, pass before her eyes. Alas, Tuesday regained her balance and pulled the apple down. She set in carefully in a small pouch Ms. Alyssa hadn't even seen her bring. Then she reached for another. And another. The pouch was full so Tuesday started to climb back down to meet with Ms. Alyssa and head back home.

 

The two started back, a sudden break in the clouds sent light cascading across the fields.

"Ms. Alyssa look at the field! It's so pretty!", Tuesday exclaimed.

 

Ms. Alyssa started to agree when she noticed something strange. Birds sat in the trees outside the field, but none of them would even approach the apple orchard or even the corn. She looked up and saw a flock of birds flying straight for the field but as the birds crossed the forest they suddenly turned. It was as though they wouldn't actually cross into the area around the field. It was so very bizarre.

"Ms. Alyssa?" Tuesday had started heading over to edge of the fields.

 

"Right. Sorry, Tuesday I was lost in thought.", Ms. Alyssa forced the thought to the back of her mind. As they started to enter forest, "Actually, Tuesday let's take the long way back. That part of the woods gives me the willies." Ms. Alyssa said as her mind gave her the exact same feeling her body would have felt when she was alive. A shiver down her spine.

 

The pair eventually made it back to the outskirts of Hallow's Rest. The few people left on the streets where drunks who had started wandering home, but Tuesday paid them little mind. As she approached her home, one of the apples fell from her pouched. Tuesday watched as it fell, time slowing as the apple rolled and bounced across the broken cobbles until it stopped at a man's boot. The boot's owner, a man who appeared middle-aged wearing the colors of the late Lord Pendacross, reached down with a dark gloved hand and held the apple aloft.

 

"My, my. Where did you come across such a fine piece of fruit, girly? The only apple trees that the Lord has sanctioned bear fruit only for him and his court. You haven't been out stealing from the Lord have you?", The man smirked as he talked, spittle flicking from between his thin lips and each word showing a mouth of hideous browning fangs.

 

"I found it, Sir. As I went walking around the forest near the road. It must have fallen from a cart.", Tuesday turned to the man, her self-assurance causing him to reassess the small girl.

 

"It's just a misunderstanding, ehh girly? Well, then give me the ones you got in your bag and all's forgiven.", the foul breath and teeth causing Ms. Alyssa to retreat from his presence.

 

"No."

 

"No? I must be hearing things girly, I thought you just declined a member of the Lord's military. Give me the apples girly and I'll promise to forget the disrespect."

 

The man reached down and grabbed her pouch and held it aloft. He took a bit of the apple that had fallen, chewing loudly and spraying flecks of red skin and juice into Tuesday's face.

 

Ms. Alyssa watched in agony as Tuesday's goal is crushed between twin sets of brown and rotting jaws. Tuesday handled it fairly well though. She simply turned and walked into her house to the sound of the horrible soulless laughter of a man turned monster. Ms. Alyssa peered into the house and saw Tuesday choking her sobs and strangling back her tears with all the force her small frame could muster. Ms. Alyssa imagined a knot forming in her stomach. All she wanted to do was protect this little girl and comfort her. What could she do but comfort though. She wished she could throw her arms around the sobbing child and embrace her as if she were her own daughter. But she could not. She would never again be able to hold anything she cared for. Ms. Alyssa walked up to Tuesday as her own eyes gave forth her very sadness with each droplet that landed at her feet.

 

"Tuesday. I'm so sorry. I wish I could have done something. I can't stand to see you treated like that. I wish-", Ms. Alyssa sobbed sending a shower tears upon the dirty wooden floor, a wet patch forming on the floor near her knees as she knelt down beside Tuesday.

 

"I-Its alright Ms. A-Alyssa. I know y-you do. I just w-wish I could have g-gotten Daddy a g-gift!", Tuesday started to bawl as the emotions burst through. This was everything she had been holding back. The tears she didn't cry when she missed her father. The tears she forced herself to forget to cry when she lost her mother. Every time the ragtag gangs of children laughed at her or called her names. All of these came through her emotional dam. She cried. Not simple sobbing or childish bawling. She cried as if she had never cried before. As though she would never stop crying. The tears poured through as her sobbing caused her to convulse slightly, as though each sob was to large for her lungs to fuel. Ms. Alyssa joined in and sobbed unbeknownst to all but Tuesday.

 

Time passed and eyes dried up. Sobbing convalesced into deep slow breaths. Tuesday and Ms. Alyssa calmed down, the whirlwind of emotions relaxing into a soft breeze of calm, relaxed breaths. Ms. Alyssa finally ventured a smile at Tuesday. Tuesday eagerly returned a weaker smile, as she continued to relax.

 

"I feel a lot better Ms. Alyssa. Sorry if I made you sad.", the eternally cheerful child floating back up to the surface, the still wet cheeks giving her face an appearance of even greater innocence.

 

"It's alright my little breath of life. I feel a lot better know. Seems I had a lot more pent up than I thought. Glad your feeling a lot better. Let's go and relax a bit more before your father gets home.", Ms. Alyssa turned her smile up another degree of bright.

 

"Right! I had forgot all about that. I still don't have a gift for daddy. What am I going to do? I still need to make him feel better." Tuesday frowned as this thought bubbled up to the surface.

 

"Oh, that's alright. Let's go back to that orchard tomorrow and get him a few more apples. We'll just be more careful when we get back to town. It'll be as easy... as easy as apple pie!", Ms. Alyssa laughed as Tuesday beamed at this.

 

Tuesday went upstairs to wash-up and remove the evidence of tears as not to worry her father any more than he already did. As she did he walked through the door, letting the sweat from a hard day's work slip from his brow to join the tears on the floor. He headed straight for the kitchen and placed some wood in the stove and left the kitchen to enter the basement were the food was kept. He came back upstairs to a smiling freckled face stoking the fire in the stove.

 

"Hello Daddy! I'm ready to help you cook dinner.", Tuesday rushed over and grabbed her fathers arm and pulled his tired form over to the stove.

 

"Alright, alright Tuesday. Go out back and fill up a pitcher of water." He motions her towards the door before she gaily grabs a pitcher and heads outside. He starts chopping up a little piece meat and even less vegetables and throws them into a pot. Tuesday returns, walking carefully with a pitcher nearly overflowing with water, each step placed softly in hopes of saving as much of the contents as possible. The water goes into the pot, as does some spices that Tuesday's father keep around for cooking. The pot sits as the mixture comes to a boil. Tuesday happily eats the stew. Then the two of them will talk as he takes a seat in front of the stove, kicking off his boots. Tuesday starts to yawn, the night dwindles down and the moon takes it seat higher and higher in the sky. Ms. Alyssa watches all of this and smiles, a terribly sad smile. The cheery little face kisses the worn, weather-beaten visage of the tired man before shuffling upstairs into her small room and crawls into her small bed, Ms. Alyssa standing next to her softly singing a lullaby until Tuesday drifts off. Slumbering peacefully.

 

The next day starts just like most. Tuesday bounces out of her small bed, and heads to her small closet. As she dresses Ms. Alyssa enters and they chat while Tuesday gets ready for the day. After washing her face she heads down to the kitchen where her father is finishing breakfast. They both eat with Ms. Alyssa watching. Father and Daughter walk towards the door. They hug and Tuesday gives him a loving kiss. After he leaves Ms. Alyssa and Tuesday play hide and seek. Once again, Ms. Alyssa wins.

 

"Boo!", Ms. Alyssa shouts as Tuesday steps out of the closet.

 

"Alright Ms. Alyssa you said we could go get daddy some apples! Let's go!", Tuesday replies prepared for the sudden appearance.

 

"I did say that. I just think it would be better if we didn't go back to those fields. And they might just get taken away again." Ms. Alyssa retorts while trying to keep her own loathing of the fields hidden behind rationality.

 

"We'll just bring a bigger bag with us so that the apples can't fall.", Tuesday ignores Ms. Alyssa's rationality and counters with her own.

 

"Fine. Let's just go already."

 

As the two pasted through Hallow's Rest it was much quieter than the previous day. The harvest had begun, so many of the children had gone with their fathers to help. The military had moved into the town to ensure that the Lord received the proper share of this years yield. Yet, no one questioned the little girl walking towards the forests. As the two arrived in the beautiful fields from the previous day, which Ms. Alyssa knew as the "Dread Acres", the deceased woman could have sworn she saw a tall man in a wide-brimmed hat walking through the field. She shook the thought off rationalizing with the fact that no one ever entered the fields. They entered the orchard and Ms. Alyssa watched nervously as Tuesday climbed swiftly towards the apples.

 

"Careful now Tuesday."

 

"Don't worry Ms. Alyssa, I'm a good climber."

Ms. Alyssa watched nervously as the little girl climbed up the tree and across the branches. She heard the crunch of someone walking across the grass, and saw out of the corner of her eye what looked like a tall man in a wide-brimmed hat. As she turned she didn't see anything but that nagging thought that someone else was in the orchard gnawed at the forefront of her mind, while the nervousness kept her eyes darting up to Tuesday. Again she hears footsteps closer now, but as she turns she doesn't see anyone. Suddenly, Tuesday screams, time slows down for Ms. Alyssa as she turns to see Tuesday slipping from a branch and falling head first towards the hard earth. She closed her eyes waiting for the sickening sound of Tuesday's body impacting. It doesn't come. As Ms. Alyssa opened her eyes the twisted knot of her imaginary intestines tightened even more. She screamed, a feat she hadn't done since her death.

 

"It's okay Ms. Alyssa.", Tuesday said completely unfazed by the fall, the scream, or the figure holding her, "He seems nice."

 

Ms. Alyssa stared in wonderment at the figure before her, the one she had seen walking through the fields on the way to the orchard. It wore a man's wide-brimmed hat and the dress of a well-to-do farm owner. Beneath the brim was not a man's face, but the cloth-skinned face of a scarecrow, with emotionless button-eyes and a stitched unmoving mouth. It was much taller than Ms. Alyssa, at least 2 heads, and straw could be seen jutting out of several of his joints. Ms. Alyssa couldn't escape the feeling

that it was staring straight at her. As if it could see her.

 

The scarecrow gently set Tuesday down, then turned and started to pick the apples from the tree. The alacrity at which this proceeded was astounding. It cleaned the tree of apples in the time it would have taken three men. It carried the barrel for the apples as it proceed to the next tree. As it stepped past Tuesday it stopped. It took the apples Tuesday had picked for her father and added them to his barrel.

 

"Hey! I really need that to give it my dad as a gift. Please Mr. Scarecrow, let me have just one!" Tuesday turned to the scarecrow.

 

It stopped walking and seemed to hesitate for just a moment as the little girl pleaded for one apple. Ms. Alyssa stared in surprise as the scarecrow reached into the barrel and handed an apple to Tuesday. As the little girl thanked it Ms. Alyssa could have sworn she saw the stitches shape into a smile.

 

For some time after this the two sat and watched the scarecrow work, plucking away as if the devil himself wanted these apples. Soon the scarecrow was far in the distance, finishing the other end of the orchard. It was the quickest farm work Ms. Alyssa had ever seen even when she was alive. Eventually it worked its was back on the opposite side.

 

"Goodbye, Mr. Scarecrow!", Tuesday waved as it approached ,"We've gotta go but we'll be seeing you!"

 

It waved back.

 

(So, I read it and a whole paragraph was just awful and unnecessary. It's gone now. I feel a little better about this piece now. No more posting in the nearly dawn hours for me. )

Edited November 27, 2008 by Sir Walnut Reginald Trouble Clamhat