21. Tra(n)d(s)ition Part 1

The Family got ready to say Goodbye to the Village. To pay one final visit before ending it all.

To a Village that gave them so much. Be it happiness or pain without boundaries or limitations.

Each of them had a story to tell. A regret they carried. And something to be thankful for.

A train of thoughts in a Train to the Village Trot. The nearest place which connected the Villages to the Outside world. From Trot it was a carriage ride to Mallow Village.

And a long walk to Whispering Heights.

The Long journey letting them reminiscence.

For Albert it was his faith and tradition. The Prosperous land that turned Nomads into Citizens.

His regret was holding onto what was given for too long not knowing when to give up. Like a Fence that grazed the crops.

Albert's resistance to sell the land to outsiders only made Keahi take it back abruptly. He ended up giving Keahi a bad name and robbing his village of a good life.

As for Lee, it was meeting Sharon. Running through the fields with her. Her watching Lee work in the fields, cheering him on.

His regret being him turning his back on his father and standing against him. Instead of trying and reason with him.

For Sharon it was meeting Lee. And learning about how the Village beliefs influenced the Lifestyle and farming.

It promoted her to pick up books. Sharpening her mind to help the Village, but she never got the opportunity to do it.

Her regret was not learning enough to convince the Villagers the dangers of The Food Samaritan.

For Akamu, it was a battle within himself. Not knowing what was right or wrong anymore.

What to regret and what to rejoice about.

What to be thankful and what to feel painful.

He thought about it throughout the Journey, arriving at the Village without an Answer.

Akamu had one glimmer of hope about finding Alice in Mallow Village. But only got the news her parents forced her to vacate and move to an unknown location with them.

The torture of Loansharks and Villagers were too much.

Akamu lost all hope at this point. Walking to the Village which had no entrance or exit.

Just a giant piece of land covered in Ash and smoke.

He couldn't recognise what was where anymore. The constant changing in Infrastructure in the Village to temporarily stay there till the next eruption had rendered everything unrecognisable.

They slowly walked towards the Family Land. Sharon telling Akamu how she and Lee met.

Akamu instantly being reminded of Alice and his first meeting with her.

They paid their respects to the land, getting on their knees, thanking the Land which now rested under Keahi's embrace.

The Land was convered in Volcanic Ash, rendering it hard to clean up and get it running again.

No one had the funds to pay for that work. Nor begin work on the farm themselves.

Akamu looked around, bumping into one of the Officials who was there.

He apologized and looked at what they were doing.

They were carrying land measuring tools and survey tools.

Their Coats carrying the words

'THE FOOD SAMARITAN'

Akamu's eyes widened in shock, informing his Grandpa

"They're hereeee"

Akamu panted, catching his breath

"The guys who take others lands are here"

Albert immediately got up, Dusting himself

"WHERE ?!!!"

Akamu pointed to where they were. The Officials Surveying the land and doing calculations.

Albert walked towards them, with a Stern look on his face. It looked like it could become an heated confrontation.

Albert grabbed one of the official, turning him around

The Official looked at Albert.

It was like a standoff between them. With Albert firing the first round of questioning.

"What are you doing here"

An Incensed Albert asked the Official, who replied

"Doing what we came for"

The Officials answer carried a slightly confused tone.

"If you were really here to do your Job"

*Albert paused, thinking for a short few seconds and following it up with a Question that shocked Everyone.

"WHY AREN'T YOU SURVEYING MY LAND FIRST"

Akamu was taken back by the question. Lee and Sharon in disbelief as to what they had heard.

*The Officials grabbed their tools and were moving to Albert's field.

It was the first time an outsider or a Company official had stepped in the land with the motive of initiating a survey.

Their every step turning the soil to sprout a money growing plant as they moved around it.

The Whole field looked like it was yielding money instead of what it was intended to do.

Albert watched as Akamu continued to ask why he was allowing it to happen.

Albert replied with an Empty Emotion

"A Final Yield for the Future. A Yield our people waited for all these years.

As Albert said it, The Villagers appeared. Coming back from where they currently resided.

The Officials turned the soil around with their walk, their each step at measuring the land was making money bloom on the lands.

It was something the Villagers wanted, Even Albert Agreed.

But one man wasn't having none of it.