Chapter One #2
"I don't see how fertilizer is relevant to the situation."
"You know what makes for good fertilizer? Dead people," I grinned threateningly. His eyes widened and he took a retreating step. "Plus, I seriously doubt that your bosses will notice if even one of you is absent. There have been so many of you here that I doubt one scummy salesman won’t be missed.”
"You p-people from small t-towns are absolutely in-insane," he stuttered.
"And the n-next guy won't b-be as easy t-t-to dismiss.
" He was so terrified that he made a half run back to his elegant sedan, which would undoubtedly be damaged on the way back to whatever big shot metropolis he had come from.
There was a reason everyone in this town drove lifted vehicles and he would learn the hard way.
Once the gravel flew behind him, I went inside.
Dad was standing in the living room, and on the coffee table across from him was the contract that had not yet been signed.
These businessmen had been making attempts to purchase the land that belonged to my father for the past ten years, but they’ve never provided a justification for their actions.
My dad constantly turned down their offers, even when they raised the buying price to six figures. No matter what they offered, this land would stay in our family.
“Dad–.” That was all I was able to say before he snatched every page of the contract and threw it into the fireplace with an irritated shout. I sighed. "Well, that's one way to go about it."
“Sorry, Mel. That man was tougher than the others. Pompous ass,” he snarled at the end. “Two million, but we would have to vacate the town completely and forever. What kind of offer is that? I grew up here. You grew up here too.”
Now they were trying to drive us out of town on top of stealing our land?
What was so special about our land? The only thing I could think of was the fruitful crops we had, but that was from generations of treating the land well.
I doubt there weren’t other places that existed that couldn’t satisfy their boss.
I wouldn’t deny that a part of me was disappointed that my father wouldn’t take that deal.
Nothing was holding me to this town other than him.
If we got that money, we could start a new life.
Unfortunately, he was set in his loyalty to this land and refused to sell.
And unfortunately I was unable to deliver the news that I hated this town and the escape I had planned.
Even as that escape was on his way here.
I crossed the distance to wrap my dad in a hug, hoping the comfort of the embrace would calm him. “I know. It’s our town and our home. But, he looked like he had won in some way when I saw him leave. What was that about?”
Dad froze. A pause that made my mouth go dry from the anxiety it gave. He stepped away from the hug to glance at the burning contract.
“He told me I had three months to give an answer or the next person would not be as nice as him.”
“What are they going to do? It’s not like they’re loan sharks after a debt.”
“They’re sending out someone that will take their offer to the mayor and then we will no longer have a say. That greedy bastard would agree if he gets a cut.”
The anger that grew within me made me forget all about Agatha and pooled in my stomach in an inferno that could’ve burned the town down.
Whoever that person would be, they would have to go through me and I was much scarier than my father.
Amidst my internalized wrath, I placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.
He had started taking on the discussions with them after I had lost my cool during one and dumped hot coffee onto the lap of the man.
I hadn’t seen that one since, either mourning his burned manhood or too scared to return.
Their mysterious organization sent out a different person each time they inevitably pissed us off.
My dad had taken over to avoid a lawsuit or worse, but even his intervention wouldn’t stop me from reacting.
I’m sure they thought it would wear us down to continue pushing our buttons, but Hardgraves don’t back down from any fight or challenge that came our way. My father aside, the Hardgraves dealt with violence first, forgiveness second.
“Don’t worry, Dad. They won’t take our home from us,” I assured with an unwavering tone. “I’ll make sure whoever comes next will be running away with their tail between their legs and my work boot up their ass.”
“Language, young lady.” I glanced up at him, but saw the familiar goofy grin on his face.
He patted the hand on his shoulder with a release of breath.
During his pause, I sank into a chair. He sat across from me, continuing the conversation.
“That sounds nice, but I’ll make preparations just in case your work boots and scary glare don’t do the trick.
I didn’t want to involve a lawyer due to costs, but we might have to.
Maybe I should’ve put you through law school. ”
I chuckled, the fury now escaping from me as his mood clearly improved. Agatha sprang back to mind since the topic of the house had been moved past. “Dad, I have something to tell you. It’s about my run today. Something, um, something happened on my run.”
His head perked up with a concerning expression and I carefully explained what had happened.
All while struggling not to cry myself..
By the end, he sat there with a look of shock and some other unknown guise mixed in.
Dad lived here longer than I had, which made this even more startling that someone had been murdered in this town.
“Staked with a cross? Who would be sick enough to do that to Miss Agatha?” He frowned in thought. Then, reaching across the coffee table, he claimed my hand nearest to him with a look of concern. “How are you? This is your first time seeing something like that.”
I shrugged while toying with a chip in the coffee table with my other hand.
My finger slid along the jagged grooves that time had smoothed, wondering if I was okay or not.
“I mean, it was unnerving. But, I’ve seen enough of our livestock dead by coyotes that it didn’t bother me that much.
” I admitted with more nonchalance than I meant to.
This was different and I mourned the loss of her, but I doubt I’d go any further in the grieving process beyond crying.
I had mourned my whole life for a mother I didn’t remember. There wasn’t much left in me to give beyond tears and an aching heart. What could I give when I gave it all to my mother?
My father let out a sound that let me know he didn’t believe me. I was being honest, but he still thought I was his sensitive little girl who used to cry over roadkill.
He must’ve forgotten the day he taught me how to kill a pig.
“Well, if you want to talk about it then I’m sure that Dr. Bailey can—.”
I cut him off instantly by rising back to my feet and saying, “Respectfully, I don’t think I need a therapist, Dad. I told you, it wasn’t as scarring as seeing a gutted pig or chopping the head off a chicken for the first time.”
He did not use any words in his response; rather, he simply shrugged and let his gaze rest on the fire.
At this point, the contract had been totally devoured by the flames, and it was now nothing more than ash.
I looked back at my father to discover the same fire that was burning inside the brick hearth, flared in his eyes with a fearsome ire.
There was definitely more to the narrative than what he shared with me, but I was also aware that he was too resolute to reveal the entirety of it.
Having already given up before I had ever begun, I left the living room and went upstairs to rid myself of the smell of the forest. In the daytime, it always had a distinct smell to me, and I never found it to be enjoyable.
My jogs during the night, on the other hand, were a whole other sensation.
Everything was more pleasant at night. It came with a crisper scent and musical vibrato in the air.
My love for the dark caused me to gain some negative attention, due to small town superstition about the dark and the ignorance as to why I would find it appealing.
As I walked into the bathroom, I thought to myself that it was a tragic existence that they chose to live. A life confined to superstition and strict religious folly was a life I could not enjoy. The world was too vast to be scared of what ifs and divine intervention that may or may not occur.
Change, good or bad, was welcomed by me since nothing interesting ever happened around here.