Chapter 5 - Settling Down

“welcome to my farm. We call it ‘Farm of Hope’” Shane said, placing his foot off the board. He flipped his head, placing his eyes into view. Dustin looked up. Ahead of him was a big, empty pasture. There was a little home with smoke coming out of the chimney. It was a little house, but it looked lively. There was a huge barn, doors wide open. A silo with hay sticking out from the bottom was pressed against it. A fence surrounded the barn in the back. The farm land was huge. It cover about 4, or 5 huge hills. Cows roamed, sheep baa’d, goats chewed everything in sight. Dogs barked. Cat hissed. Crow’s flew away from the scarecrow. A little windmill twirled in the wind. Chickens pecked at the ground, as the near by donkey hee-hawed. Dustin knew he would love it here. “no come on. My ma’s home making up some grub. Good thing that my brother is at soccer pratice. Or he’d just make you depressed.” Shane said. Dustin climbed off the board. Shane kicked the board up, and started carrying it. Dustin wondered why Shane, who seemed to be pretty cool, lived on a farm. One would think that he would live a cool house, or maybe an apartment. “I know what your thinking. ‘why would a guy like me, still live with his ma on a farm in Californa? The state of surfing, and sunbathing, vacationing, and huge bustling cities?’ well, my ma can’t afford to keep this place that well in the past months. Me having a job, and getting my brother to do my chores helped. Now we’re outta debt. But barly, we still need to get off the line between bankrupt and freedom.” Shane said, looking over his sholder, and walkikng backwards. Something is different about this guy, Dustin thought. He seemed to have little fangs, and cute little goat horns patruning from his head. He seemed to have a, ‘goat’ era. Dustin couldn’t understand it, but before he could ask, Shane walts right threw the front door. “Ma! I’m home! I brought back a guy that I found in a trashcan.” Shane placed his board next to the door. ‘For easy reach incase someone butts you out.’ Dustin thought. A woman bustled down the stairs. She had a bulky figure, she was also thin at the same time. She had streaked blond hair, just like her son’s. It looked like she had highlights, but he couldn’t tell if they were real or not. She wore a navy blue tank top, a little low for Dustin. Light blue shorts, also brown crocs. Her hair was in a short little pony-tail, with a long strand hanging from her face. She wore a single bracelet with a peace sign on it. She smiled. “why hello. My name is Sharrie. Shane and his younger brother Marlin call me ma. You can call me whatever you like.” She said, she placed out her wrinkled hand. Her eyebrows were a dark dirty blond color, like her hair. She had hundreds of freakles all over her cheeks and nose. Shane did too. The average blonde, freakled, family of California. Dustin took her hand, and shook it. “hi.” He said smiling. She re-gripped the basket full of crops in her other arm. “you need help with anything ma?” Shane asked. Sharrie shook her head, then stopped. She glaced at a clock. “Me and your friend Dustin will get dinner started, you go get your brother from pratice.” She said, waving at the door. Shane nodded, ran towards him board, grabbed a key, and bursted threw the door. ‘he must do that on a reagular basis.’ Thought Dustin. “now come on you, I have questions.” Sharrie said, smirking as she playfully hit Dustin on the arm. “lets get some soup ready.” She said smiling. Sharrie poured the veggies out on the counter of the kitchen. Dustin couldn’t help but glace around the kitchen he was standing in. It seemed pretty clean, a few cobwebs in places. A cat bowl, and a dog bowl printed, Whiskers, and Sargent Sniffers or SS. Food was in them, and a light water bowl. A microwave, an oven, a refrigerator, a sink, knives, all the normal kitchen stuff. Sharrie brought out a cutting board, and placed a orange, triangle shaped veggi on it. She cut off the leaves, and started cutting the vegetable into little disks. “where do you really live Dustin?” Sharrie asked, swishing the vegetable into a big pot. Dustin shrugged. “quiet type. I get it. Not like your voice?” she asked, grabbing another vegetable, this time it looked like a tree, with a bright green trunk. Dustin shook his head, frowning now. “how old are you?” Sharrie asked, adding more vegetables into the big pot. “17.” Dustin said as quietly as possible. She filled the pot with water from the sink. “wow, you hit puberty already? You got a deep, sexy voice.” She said, smiling. She hauled the pot onto the stove. She grabbed a lighter, and flicked at the stove with it, as she turned a nob. Dustin look surprised. ‘Sexy?’ he thought. He never thought of his voice like that. He always seemed to hate his voice, so he didn’t talk much. Sharrie turned around. “oh. Did I offend you?” she asked. Dustin looked surprised. “oh no. Of course not. Just never thought of it that way.” Dustin gripped his necklace. “what’cha gripping?” Sharrie asked. She placed the knife in the sink behind her. “oh. It’s a locket.” Dustin said, taking it off his head. “you got a girl?” Sharrie asked, carefully taking the locket. “oh no. no way, I think it’s a picture of my parents. But I can’t remember what they are like. I don’t live any where. I came from London, when I was 4.” He said. Sharrie opened the locket, and smiled at it. “I think it’s sweet.” She said, she looked at it, and gave it back. Dustin glanced at it and placed it back around his neck. Sharrie turned around and washed her hands. “I think that no mother shuld ever leave her child. I just think that’s wrong.” Sharrie added, as she grabbed a towel. She dried her hands, and threw the towel down a chut. “where does that lead?” Dustin asked. “oh, the laundry room.” Sharrie said, grabbing at a cabnent. “why do you keep your hood on indoors all the time honey? Bad hair day?” Sharrie asked, as she grabbed a spice. “no. I just don’t like my ears.” Dustin said, staring at the floor. “come on. Hoods and hats off in house. HHH.” Sharrie said, shaking some spice into the boiling soup, and mixing it in with a spoon. Dustin took his hood off. He had sorta long, but kinda short hair. (the back was at his neck) Two little disk like ears popped out of the top of his brown as dark oak hair. Sharrie smilied. “that’s better, and I love your ears.” Dustin quirked a smile out of this. “now come on, help me and mix this soup every once in a while.” Sharrie said, waving over. Dustin walked over. Sharrie had tan arms, with freakles. “no you can’t cook with long sleeves. They might catch on fire.” Sharrie said, tisking him with her spoon. “take it off.” Dustin blushed. He didn’t have any clothes exept this cloak. He had boxers when he was little, but he grew out of them a long time ago. Sharrie raised an eyebrow. “well?” she asked. “but this is the only thing I’m wearing.” Dustin finally admitted. Sharrie seemed to cool off, blush a little. “oh. Ok. Right you must not have much clothing. Follow me, you can wear some of Shane’s clothes.” She said, placing down the spoon, and walking down a hallway. Dustin followed. “now, I’m gonna give you one of the shirts he doesn’t wear, along with his old skinny jeans.” Sharrie said, opening the door leading to Shane’s room. She waved for Dustin to stay, and she crawled threw all the junk in Shane’s room. She opened a drawer. “here’s some blue boxers.” She threw them at Dustin. He was puzzled at what boxer’s were. He didn’t know how to wear them. “a short sleeved t-shirt.” She threw this also. Dustin caught it. It seemed a tad small, or short. It had a star with little rings around it in the middle. It read STAR ATOM! at the ends of the sleeves were red rings. And at the collar. “and a pair of skinny jeans.” She threw the last piece of clothing. Dustin didn’t catch this, but he picked it up from the floor. It was torn and tattered at the ends of the legs. “oh. You need shoes.” She said. She flipped her crocs off. “here, wear these.” She said, throwing them to Dustin. He managed to grab them, and still hold everything else. “now you go into the bathroom, and get dressed.” She said, pointing at the door across the hall. Dustin looked at the door, and walked in. It was a peaceful looking room. A light shade of minty green. A few lights flickered here and there, and candles surrounded the bathtub. The toilet had a fuzzy seat, and the sink had a little duck shaped soap on it. Dustin threw the clothes on the floor. He arranged them as he remembered Shane wore them. Shirt on top, then boxers (he couldn’t see Shane’s only at times) then pants over the boxers. Shoes went on feet. He whipped off his cloak, feeling quite cold and naked without it. He slipped on the boxers. They fit nicely. Then he threw the shirt on. It was a little tight, but loose at the top, tight at the bottom. He stared at the pants. How was he supposed to fit his foot, threw that tiny hole? He might as well try, Shane did it. He placed his legs threw, and pulled up the pants. The bottom stretched, but gripped to his leg once his foot was threw. He felt weird in his butt area. He forgot about his little tail! He found some sizzors, and cut open a hole big enough for his tail to rest freely. He wagged it. He smiled. He noticed that Sharrie and Shane didn’t have tails. He found this weird. Was he the only one with a tail? He pushed the thought out of his might, grabbed his cloak, and opened the door. He walked to the kitchen. “where should I put my cloak?” he asked once down. Sharrie turned. “oh you look so cute! On the couch dear, now grab a spoon, your on mixing duty.” She smiled, and was flipping up green leaves in a bowl. Dustin grabbed a spoon, and mixed it once. “if I was your age again, I would definantly fall for you. Hiding all that cute, sexy teen under a dark cloak. You deserve better.” Sharrie said, grabbing ranch, and pouring some into the bowl. Dustin smiled. He suddenly felt good about himself. “you know what school is?” Sharrie asked. Dustin shook his head. “no.” “school is were you go to learn about math, history, science, and a bunch of other things. Today’s Saturday. Shane’s going back to school on Monday. You should join him, maybe start a new life here.” Sharrie said, smiling. Dustin thought about this. He did want to see what this school was. He knew tomorrow was Sunday. Which gave him a day to help, and get to know some people around this town. He nodded, telling himself that, yes, I am going to school on Monday. Sharrie looked over his shoulder, Dustin was a little taller that average teens his age. “good. Now lets get this off the stove. The two must be getting home soon.” Sharrie said turning the knob all the way to the right. The flame flew off, and disappeared. The two grabbed some ovenmitts, and heaved the heavy soup onto the kitchen counter. Sharrie grabbed a spoon. She told Dustin to grab four bowls. She pointed at a drawer. He walked over, and pulled it open. Shane and little brother Marlin came threw the door. “hey who’s the teen?” Shane asked, placing his board where he put it before. Marlin frowned, and jumped on the windowsill. “I’m Dustin. Remember? You mother gave me some of your old clothes.” Dustin said smiling. He handed out bowls. Shane scoffed. “hey your not half-bad looking Dustin!” Dustin smiled, and handed him a bowl. He then walked to Marlin. “I don’t know who you are. But I will find out. I bet you aren’t even human.” Marlin said, his thick eyebrows arched down. Marlin was different from Shane and their mother. Shane and Sharrie were white, blonde, freckle faced. Marlin had a farmer’s tan, had oil black hair, and didn’t smile as much as the others. He had a deep voice, even though he seemed only about 12 ish. Dustin just walked away, and handed Sharrie a bowl. “ok, dinner is vegetable soup, and salad. Along with any drink you want.” Sharrie said, spooning out a bit of soup into her bowl, and grabbing a plate of salad, she toped this all off with a glass of wine. She want over to a chair, and sat down. She began eating. Shane was next. Shane was a small figure, but he at like a whale. He grabbed as much soup as he could fit into his bowl, and a plate of salad. Marlin sat at the peculiar windosill. It juded out, in a half cylinder shape. It was one big window that could close, and open. It had a place where you could sit, and place your legs like stairs. It also had a door like thing that shut on the inside part of the house. Marlin sat, staring at something outside. It was still gloomy, even though it was only about 6:30 ish. Marlin didn’t move, or seem to do anything, except stare at the farm animals, or the crops swaying in the light breeze. Dustin decided that he was going to try some soup, and salad. Shane flipped on a widescreen Tv, and started watching Spongebob, a local Tv show that children like. Dustin took to sitting in a chair near the middle of the room. He watched Marlin’s every move, and would look at the Tv if he ever looked his way. Marlin showed that he didn’t want to be watched or eat, because he closed the door behind him. Once the family finished dinner, they decided to go to bed. It was pretty late for farmers to go to bed at 7:45 ish. Shane went and passed out in his room. Sharrie quietly closed the door. Marlin watched Dustin and his mother talk threw a peephole he made. “where will I sleep?” Dustin had asked. Sharrie answered, “well, you can sleep in the parlor, there’s a little couch in there that can be made into a bed. Sleep well.” Dustin smiled. As Sharrie walked into her room, Marlin sat at his window. He watched the crops fly in the settle breeze. He seemed to like crops so much for some reason. He was glad that he lived on a farm. This happy trance of his was broken by the sound of his door opening. “I just wanted to say goodnight.” Dustin said. Marlin turned his head, and glared at him. “go away. I don’t know who you are, and I don’t want to know.” He said turning back to the window. Dustin took this to mind. Marlin didn’t seem to like anything, maybe not even himself. “you may not want to know me. But I do want to know about you.” Dustin said, cracking a smile. Marlin turned again. He had bright blue eyes, but he hid them behind his angry eyebrows. “you know that I don’t want you to know anything.” Marlin said facing the window again. “yeah. Ok. Night.” Dustin said looking at the floor as he closed the door and walked out. Marlin sighed after he left. He continued looking out his window, he watched the rain begin to fall on the window as if the sky was crying.

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