Chapter 1 - The Sun Is Up!

THE SUN IS UP!

The sun is up, facing the south were the Buno mountains with its mighty tip covered with snow with a blueish-grey hue atmosphere around it. The golden rays of the sun gives a bright colour to the clouds, mountains and valleys, reflecting a golden beam of light across clouds in the mighty sky making one to feel heaven is for real. Inspiring all that young generation of living beings to come alive! Ground raises to create a platform for every age to showcase their beauty to attract, hearts are open, and creation are changing. North of the mountain lay the country side with acres of land dedicated to farms.

Hear that step of someone running across to chase something? Yes, the dog chasing a brightly coloured butterfly across the field with its paw imprint on the wet ground that was irrigated earlier that day.

Moaning from a dull room at the corner of the house was a teen boy named Neil. Neil Ailler the son of Matthew Ailler and Kadence Ailler. He is a sixteen-year-old teenage boy. Neil is a superficially charming kid with an average pale complexion, hazel eyes which would appear golden when the bright light of sun reflected on it. Curley brown hair, silky-smooth like that of a horse's hair. Pink joints and eyelids which gave him overall appearance of a long lost young Greek prince.

Neil has a dog, remember it? the one who chased the butterfly during morning. It was his dog and he named it 'Peach'. Peach is golden retriever dog breed, he is just five-year-old and best friend of Neil. He got Peach when he was eleven-year-old when his uncle Joe gave the dog as gift to Neil during his birthday. Soon they both became the best buddies within few days and now they both are brothers but each with different "body".

So, Neil was moaning and woke up by slightly raising his forearms and then his waist, sitting on the bed with his legs stretched broad. Turning his head to left he saw his dog, Peach jumping and running over the field to chase that butterfly. He was looking through a slanted glass window which is attached to the slanted roof top. Its glass was slightly stained white at the edges giving it an old look of year been passed. The window was transparent with thick white wooden frames. It was attached to a hinge at the top so that it could be partially opened by pushing it, through which the air ventilated. The Sunlight passed through the transparent glass of the window and lighted his soggy wooden room bright. Highlighting his yellow canvas table lamp beside his bed on an old small table and brightening his floor carpet which had red royal vintage design over warm yellow shade with olive-coloured boarders.

Neil said on seeing Peach " you woke up buddy!" and then looking up to the sky by peeping through the window edges and looking around, beheld the nature and his farm. Then turn his whole body toward the south, his right side and place his cold feet on the floor and pulling his whole body with strength to stand steadily. Pushing his white bedsheet to a corner of his bed that was drop to the floor while he was sleeping maybe while he was changing his position to sleep last night.

Straight walking towards the stairs and then lowering his left leg first on the first step then the right leg on the second step and move down to the hall and then to the washroom where his toothbrush, paste and towel was waiting for him to start his new day.

Neil have the perfect schedule of brushing his teeth for exactly two minutes, which he get to know by looking at his wrist watch which he wears through out the day on his left arm's wrist even while going to bed. Later he washes his face by splashing cold running water from the pipe on his face, and pat his wash with a bright green towel.

After refreshing himself he gets out of the toilet, close the door and then move to the hall, sit exactly beside his father, Matthew who reads newspapers sitting steadily with his back rest on the chair and crossing his legs, right leg over left leg with a vinegar aspect indicating his dominance in the family. Cooking pancakes opposite to them was Neil's mother(mom) and Matthew's wife, Kadence a homemaker who made best out of the waste. She was the main reason for last year's profit by making freshly prepared apricot jam from the apricots in their farm, which gave a minimum profit of five thousand euros last year. Matthew and Kadence were madly in love with each other that they got married at the age of twenty-six and twenty-four respectively, it's was a year later after their marriage Neil, their one and only son was born. Neil loved his mom and dad than anything other. Matthew used to call his son "Miracle" since it reminded him of his late father. Matthew call Kadence by the name of "Kendy" and their family name was "Ailler", "The Ailler family".

Neil's mom (Kendy) used to serve him his favourite food, pancakes with fresh home-made apricot jam on the top and for her husband she would pour maple syrup on the top instead of the apricot jam. With voracious feeling they both feed their stomachs with mouth open wide and broad, pushing a piece of pancake into their mouth using a metal fork and then into their massive throat from up to down. Mother looking with awaiting look on her face in expect of receiving a opinion until the chunk of food drop through their throat to the stomach.

And then Neil says "Mom that was better than aunt Nicole's pancakes which I ate last week, ewe! that was really a gross (in sarcasm) I couldn't help myself to eat that whole thing it was too salty with butter over it again! somehow, I held myself back and swallowed it with a fake smile on my face to make her less unhappy about her talent, (exaggeratedly laughing ha, ha....)

Dad after looking at Neil with a smile on his face and then turning his head towards Kendy and speaks "Tastes great! Eating something delicious right now?" waving his fork on his right hand up and down in swift form.

After eating, his dad, Matthew kiss Kendy and says "well, have to move since my apricots are waiting to change into jam", he moves out to the field to farm of apricots. It is a sixteen-acre apricot field which was owned my Matthew's family for past two generations, his father before his death owed the farm land to his son to grow the seed of unborn generations. Now Matthew takes care of his farm all alone. At first, he moves cross the field to check on the fields and beheld his amazing farm. The soil and site are the most important factors to grow the apricots. Apricots bloom in early spring and planting them when it was late spring can be risky, so, he plants them at early spring and awaits until it is ripped fully. To maintain the soil, he fills half-hole with suitable soil and a half with organic planting mix or compost, closes all the air pockets around the roots to make the apricot taste delicious after it would have been plucked.

He had a long time history of growing these fruits, it takes three to four years after planting for the apricots to grow, if not maintained well, the results become terrible and all his hardworking get soaked in pain of starving his family and himself for next few weeks .So, he must be ready for future of his family, well something terrible like that has never happened to his family but when he was a kid his father used to suffer from such problems so he knew the importance of framing "well", anyway he harvest the apricots in late summer. To check whether the fruit is ready, he holds and give it a gentle twist, if it pulls away easily leaving the stalk behind, it is ready. Apricot that is ripe will be sweet and slightly soft and ready to hand to his wife which later she would Pura into jam for her loving husband and her son, Neil especially and also used for manufacturing them to local store for profits.

Neil on the other hand after finishing his whole dish he said hurriedly "Mom I am going out" and his mom, Kendy kiss him on forehead and say "Be back by 6:30 (six-thirty at evening when it would start to get dark). Neil just kept a foot out of his door and then turned his whole body again to the kitchen and went near a shelf and bowed himself to reach the bottom shelf and grabbed a check colour pattern cloth from inside the shelf along with Peach's favourite pet food and then raised his body again and then took some apricot sandwiches which was kept at top of the bottom shelf in a ceramic plate. The sandwiches were made by his mom from remaining jam. He put the sandwiches, cloth and Peach's treat within an empty wooden basket which was also kept near the top of bottom self. His mom was smiling at him so he too returned a simile to his mom again. Then he went out, he stood steadily near the doorways entrance and breath in the air at a time and then gasped heavily. He chases the field in search of this dog, Peach which had seem to lost now after chasing the wild butterfly, he says "Hey Peach, where are you buddy? Peach, pe-pe". This always happens and when Peach don't dare to come out, he calls out Peach's favourite dog food name "McZee n's Pet food, Doggy pack" (sounds embarrassing right) but then he calls out. "Peach well if you don't come out then I guess I bought this doggy pack simply, so I will go back for today" (with a cunning attitude and look with form of speaking). Then the Peach run through the field as if a heroic dog comes through the fog and jump on his chest and push him back, throwing him to the ground and starts licking him with its long pinkish tongue with a happy howl. Neil gets a smile all over his face and laughs and says "ha, ha oh my God, there's my good boy, who is my good boy, uh! okay stop, stop Peach that's good" (smiling) "oh boy! let's go to the maple tree" (Peach running towards the maple tree leaving Neil behind) "Hey wait for me!".

Neil's favourite spot was to sit below a maple tree that was grown steadily in centre of the field where the ground was slightly raised giving it an appearance of little plateau with a tree and on standing at the stop, we could view the whole field at once.

So, Neil and dog runs towards the three, and Peach sit below the tree trying to show that it was waiting for Neil to feed him. Neil spread a large checks pattern of red and white cloth below the tree, it was the table cloth which he borrowed from his mom early that morning (remember it). So, they sat below the tree, he opened this wooden basket and took the dog food, served it in Peach's favourite bowl and took a sandwich from the basket for himself and bent his back to the thick stem of the tree and rested his back and ate the sandwich bite to bite.

Someday his father would go to the town in his red classic mini cooper mini truck and would drove it all the way until he reached a small shop of his brother Joe, in the town. Both the brothers were best friend they both depended on each other for their need. Matthew would help his brother Joe by manufacturing his apricot jam to his store for him to sell and the profit would be equally divided. Joe also has local food brand like for their pet dog, Neil's family buy white bread once in three days. This is how his family even got basic necessity without struggle. Joe is a small business owner who also have different branches of store within the same town. So, he is pretty wealthy to be poor. This was a happy family with happy relation.

Neil and Peach have the best relationship they have lots of fun and pass their time enjoyably.

Well, lives on a farm are kind a laid back, isn't much, an old country boy like him can't hack? It is always early to rise, pass your time out in nature as one and move again into Shadwell, a simple kind of life will never do harm.

Neil and Peach have talk throughout the day until it is evening.

They have many hilarious talks; well, he thinks Peach understand what he is saying since all the time when ever Neil ask Peach anything it always nod its head with chewing the treat it gets.

All the day the keep talking crap and funny stuff, though surely, they doth don't understand each but with each other's facial expressions, yes, yes! they do understand.

They belong to a generation where break ups, open relationships are a part and parcel of life, finding someone who truly love is a task. Neil have had many shares of struggles in his life too even though he is just a sixteen-year-old country boy. He never knew one doesn't need only a human to 'love' and feel 'loved'. His life changed soon after uncle Joe gifted the dog to him, back then he was only a puppy. He is proud that he has found a best friend in Peach and when it is around, he doesn't need any other friends, not even a girlfriend. Since all his life he never saw town or city except his own farm. He is home-schooled too.

If someone who has taught him what true love is, it is Peach! His love for Peach is unconditional and the word 'hate' does not exist for him. If he has mood swings and shoo it away, Peach simply wags its tail and starts licking his face and the day he feels lonely, Peach sniffs his mood and does not leave by his side till the time he starts smiling. That is what true love is for Neil—being there for your partner in every situation.

Well, Peach has it all. And what it expects in return? A few belly rubs and dog biscuits!

Suddenly Peach run over the field and stop by a tree. Peach has a weird habit of finding a spot and poop or pee their soon, Neil instantly got to know that it was time.

Neil "Where are you going, hmm.... oh! again. Peach!"

Peach (below as thinking): "This one. I've chosen this tree"

Neil "Are you sure?"

Peach (below as thinking): Yeah.

Neil understands by his dog nodding it's head up and down that it was yes.

Neil "okay boy go on, do it fast"

Peach (below as thinking): This one's it. I think." (Then do his work)

Neil "Okay. I'm dizzy. let dad not know about it, he will be mad at this. Anyway, it keeps the soil fertile, So!"

Neil "you all done?"

Peach nods and bark, indicating it is yes.

Neil " okay back to our place"

They both move again back to the maple tree and sit below there.

It has already been ten in the morning and almost two hours were spent in talking with his dog and roaming all around. He was finding something that would fascinate him since he now was bored. But he couldn't, he laid again back on the stem of the tree and without knowingly he slept. (He went to a deep, coma sleep since he is tired)

Suddenly Neil wakes up with glum face in a panic mode and look around him and see Peach was also sleeping by resting its head on his shoulder. He thought that he had slept for a long while and he looked at his leather wrist watch, it was 12:45 (Twelve forty-five) and he knew it was time for lunch. Peach was in deep sleep too since he ate all his treat and need rest.

Neil (try to wake up Peach) " Hey its time, it's lunch. Peach! Peach! wake up"

Peach wakes up tired with a grumpy look and move aside from Neil's shoulder.

Peach had already eaten much; he was not hungry for more to eat so most of the times he never ate anything when it was lunch.

Neil raises his whole body and stand with his legs and run towards his house into the kitchen through the back door and stand near the table.

His mom (Kendy) looks at him and says "it is time for lunch, it's already ready"

Dad (Matthew) enter in from the same doorway " Hey I heard they are going to bring the sack today" (he is talking about a local shop from which he had ordered to buy a bunch of sacks of manure for some reason)

Mom (Kendy) "oh! is it, when are they going to come-today, tomorrow, when?"

Dad (Matthew) "I guess it should come by tomorrow, it's all set"

Mom serve the food on a plate to both of them. Neil and Matthew pull the chair and sit on it. They both start eating. Kendy also sit down on her chair and starts eating. The slight noise of metal fork and spoon exist in the silent room.

Mom (Kendy) "Neil have you served Peach?"

Neil " Peach is no hungry, he had eaten a lot of his treat"

Dad (Matthew)- (in a questioning way) "Neil can you help me in farming some apricots? if you wish too"

Neil "yeah dad! I was bored all day, yeah I have time to help"

Dad (Matthew)- (in a sarcastic way) "Have time? Okay what about after you eat?"

Neil "yes dad"

The all keep eating, it is a traditional family who follow rules and live-in discipline. They respect eating time and keep the voice low. It is country family, so they dedicated their time for others happiness.

After eating, they finish the plate and Neil get up from the chair along with his dad. Matthew collects the plate and handed it to his wife, Kendy for her to wash it out.

Dad (Matthew) "If it arrives, I will bring it by myself "

Mom (Kendy) "okay, but good if it arrives today"

Dad "hmm.... Yeah!" (Then he wakes out from the door to the field)

Neil "I am coming" and his mom, Kendy instruct him not to disturb his father.

Neil reply "Mom! I am helping"

Kendy smiling- "okay go my child"

They were seeing their son, Neil growing in front of them, for some reason within them they were proud of it.

In the field Neil waiting by his father and see how he works on the field. His eye is partially close since it is was very sunny day so it was difficult to see up to the sky. His eyes were inspired by seeing his own dad teaching him life lesson. Matthew wore a denim light blue jean with a red T-shirt on top, cowboy boots made his appearance look better in that hot weather, making him to appear more as a man. Neil was excited to work, he seems to be fascinated in doing a work, to feel much boyish.

By the time he get to work on the farm, the sun was starting to set leaving a soft yellow glow hanging over the yard, holding a plough or hoe in his right hand standing their weak since he was tired of waiting.

Neil waiting by his dad asks "Dad me now, I am waiting like hell"

Matthew (Dad) "waiting son, few more minutes"

Neil " what are you doing that I can't do?"

Matthew (Dad) "okay son, come here, help me"

Neil (in a tired manner)" what should I do?"

Matthew "Do as I instruct; our life stock is based on it"

Neil "fine dad, what?"

Matthew "dig a small pit of six-inch now, put this seed"

Neil "Dad I am not new at this work, I know it"

Matthew "ha ha son I know last time you tried to plant it but you made a disaster!" (Neil dig the hole and Matthew hand him the seed to his hand)

Neil "It was first time, but this one is all good"

Matthew (Dad)"now cover up the soil, close it and water it, here take this pot and water them" (Matthew hand the water pot to him, Neil covers up the soil and take the pot and water the plant)

After watering, Neil say "see, dad"

Matthew (Dad)"okay son from tomorrow let's start your work"

(Blinking his left eye in a casual manner, Neil and Matthew happy at their work and then wakes of to change their clothes since they are all covered with wet soil)

Neil while going way back to home through the back door along with his dad, Peach going along with them, he wants more food)

Neil sees Peach and say "boy now what? why here?" (Neil understand by seeing Peach's expression) "okay boy it already set to dark, mom will give you" (Peach happy after knowing he will get his treat to fill his stomach)

Then he goes in with his dad. His mom says "oh! boys, you are all disaster, take a shower"

Matthew (smiling) "Neil is going on the way, guess he is my new assistant"

Kendy (Mom) "It seem you done work; your dad says"

Neil (in exaggerated manner) "I know it mom, I have lived for sixteen year"

Kendy (Mom) "Neil, go refresh your self then we all will have dinner"

Neil "okay, mom" (Neil goes to his room and change his socks, keeping his boot outside the doorways. While his dad goes to take shower)

He waits until his dad comes out and then goes to take shower after his dad, then change his clothes and come out with a wet towel with which he is rubbing his wet hair on his head to make it dry. He sees his dad watching news on the T.V and his mom almost done preparing food for them. It is now 7:45, (seven forty-five) now and he is usually home-schooled so his dad teaches, his dad is his teacher and teaches him all the subject. Sometimes his mom too teaches him when his dad is busy, Neil asks them "So, dad is you going to teach me, like mom is cooking"

Dad (Matthew) " yes, Neil I am coming, I will teach again"

Mom (Kendy) "Dad will teach you honey wait"

Neil "okay!", then he goes again upstairs to his room leaving his dirty clothes in the bathroom so that his mom washes them. He sits on his bed idle and blank in his mind then suddenly he remembers about Peach and shout out from upstairs "Mom did you feed Peach?"

Kendy (Mom) from downstairs in the kitchen "yes I did"

Neil "oh! hmm.... okay"

His dad, Matthew calls him downstairs, that he is ready to teach him. Neil hears it and gets up from his bed again and go to downstairs and say "coming!" He wakes over the wooden stairs and the squeaking sound from the wooden stairs comes to exist in the setting along with gridding , T.V program noise.

He reaches down and say "Dad yeah I am here" and then goes into a small square dark room with had a old smelly, dusty shelf on one side of the wall. Nearly the whole side of wall was occupied by the shelf. The shelf had many books in it, it was all most completely filled with books, which consists of educational book of that we study in schools, story book ranging from children's book to young adults' book and many other informative books too like encyclopaedia and dictionaries. Those books were actually his mom's and dad's which they used to have when they were kids. Matthew like his son lived in the same house with his dad and had the same book as his, Matthew's dad used to teach him when he was a child and now Matthew teaches his own child now. The same goes for Kendy, Matthew wife who is also from the same country side also was taught by her parents at her home when she was kid. There were no school and it was highly expensive to afford a private teacher for education of their kids so, it was traditional that the family pass on the knowledge to their younger generation, most of the framers and maid in country side was either home-schooled or never studied. The land passes to the next generation and that's how things worked for them.

The room was dark as it was located in East side of the house and no light so they fixed a bright warm white light blub on the ceiling to at least brighten up the room so, that Neil can study. It had two chairs on opposite side of a rectangular table on which one side Neil would sit and the other side his parents, mostly his dad. The teaching was mostly at night just before the dinner because both his mom and dad was busy during morning and afternoon. The books were old and some had torn cover, but they used to adjust to it since what was on inside, the knowledge you get from it was more important than how the book itself looked.

So, Matthew (dad) comes, enter the room and notice Neil was looking at the shelf so, to grab his attention he calls out his name "Neil!". Then the both sit grab a book and start studying. It seems Neil was an average student who didn't show much interest in reading educational books but just to graduate he used to study.

Neil had been enrolled in a public school very far from their home, since he had to graduate officially, he had to find a school and stay at home and study. After nearly a hour of studying they put the book back in shelf, switched off light and then moved to the hall, that is when mom (Kendy) calls "boys! food is ready", they move to the kitchen have a sit and they grab their fork and start eating. A very normal conversation of middle-class family, asking how was the day, and a little dad joke and laughter and normal talk. Then again if dad felt sleepless he would again watch T.V for some more time and then they all would go to sleep.

Mom and dad usually would sleep downstairs together in their bed room, but when Neil was a very young child of eight or ten-year-old he would sleep with his parents, but since is a nearly a young adult his parents made the upper storey his room by putting a bed on that room. Neil sleep alone in the upper storey, at first, he was nervous to sleep alone near a window but after getting used to it he is now fearless. Neil sleep with his leg facing the south position so, the window in just beside his left arm and he could see his whole field, and just below was Peach's house, a small dog house type which his dad had constructed, in such a position he could see Peach sleeping in his shed and when you see up to the night sky, it would be the best view the you can get. You could see the beautiful night sky which was dark and blue and was looking more impressive with many stars arranged in endless line. The stars made a countless pattern which made it look fascinating. Diamonds in the sky, oh! it was so beautiful.

Neil would see up to the sky resting his head on his both arms, a smile on his face which indicated he was happy with the beauty of nature. The night sky was aglow with bright lights. The pale crescent moon shone like a silvery claw in the night sky. He looked up at the blanket of stars that stretched to infinity. Lying on his soft bed, made it more comfortable, it was completely silent since everyone has gone to bed, sleeping. It would not be possible for him to go downstairs since it would make a lot of noise which for sure would wake his parents. So he stayed, and slept on the bed with very less moments. He is thinking, thinking about something in his mind, he was creative for sure so, he looked at the sky and started to finger with his left hand and connecting the stars in the sky to make a shape out of them. The night is deep, the silvery moon is dotted with the dark blue night sky, and the naughty stars are running around it. The stars are holding the moon, and the moon is not meant to be lonely tonight! Whenever the night is quiet, the whole world seems to be soaked in black ink as it is, black and dark, and nobody is visible, a small star twinkling with light, mischievously squinting, Neil felt it was for him, he taught it is saying hello to him. He gazes on that particular star see it twinkling then he moved his sight to another star and saw it twinkle, then taught if this stars were shooting across the sky how more beautiful it would be. They are like a sly pearl that adorns the dark blue night sky.

He rests his whole body, looking around his room, the slant ceiling for few minutes then the walls and the floor. Then looking at his dog Peach sleeping in the shed, he taught it was a long day and Peach was indeed tired so he is having a deep sleep and anyway dog sleep much more than humans after a hyperactive day. He then turns his whole body to the left side in a foetus position with his knee curled towards the body and Palms joint, just below his chin. He sees again the sky all over and start singing a song at a very low voice, whispering very silently, it came out of him just like that, looking at the sky-

Wonder why? is it real?

go back and recall it all again.

The best day I had has ceased

and worst to come.

Not craving for happiness but

just finding it, as I am already

made for it to make one better.

strive through the time and then hush all was gone, nothing ever happened (silence prevails in the entire dark innate scene)

…..and then he falls asleep, deep, deep sleep.