In the rain

As he slept nestled in her arms, nothing mattered, his anger didn't matter, his hate didn't matter. He slept like a baby, peaceful and still and he fell into a dream, a dream of the past.

The memories streamed through his mind, images of men and monsters, nights and red days. He was sweating and twitching in her arms as the memories haunted him. She patted him on the head gently, calming him and he eased down and became still again.

In his dreams, he saw their cartridge, one he and Mr Dunn had painstakingly built. They had built it to last the journey through the hells to paradise.

They use the finest and toughest tree, the strongest and newest nails they can find, and the best tools, to cut and put the wood together.

Before their journey, he had been Mr Dunn's farm help for most of his life. Mr Dunn was practically his father.

He had been with them for ten years, ever since he was ten years old. Mr Dunn had saved him from the grasp of a crime lord, one whom his parents had owed money to. When his parents mysteriously disappeared, he was left to pay their debt, and the crime lord took him and forced him to.

Most people suspected that the lord had sold his parents as slaves or as organs for the war machine, but no one was certain, and even if they were, they couldn't do anything about it.

One day, when Mr Dunn came by in search of a rare seedling for his farm, it was an expensive and mass-producing hybrid; he met him there and took pity on him.

After a few negotiations with with lord, they agree and Mr. Dunn pays off his debt but not without taking a few blows for the kid. he felt nervous,

Why me? He wondered. Who's this guy and what does he want with me?

He feared what the man might do to him, he could be worse than the crime lord for all he knew. But when the man took him to his home he willingly followed. Not questioning him openly, after years of forced labor, he had resigned to being a mere tool for others.

When the man gave him clothes, he wore them without question; when he gave him food, he ate without question; when he gave him a place at his barn to sleep, even at the behest of his wife, he took it without a word.

Something troubled him, and he did not know why at the time, but Mr Dunn was slowly giving him back his humanity, and this scared him. He didn't trust people enough to let him treat him nicely; it all felt suspicious, and he grew paranoid until it all became too much for him.

So he ran away in the roaring storm, hoping they wouldn't come after him in the rain, but Mr. Dunn chased after him on horseback. He found him hiding behind the bushes by the river. Mr Dunn laughed and said.

"You know how I found you?" Mr Dunn said

He shakes his head, indicating a no. He was deathly terrified at what the man might do to him; his fear had grown so great that he even considered jumping into the fast-moving river.

Mr Dunn pointed at his nose. He had expected Mr Dunn to be angry at him, but he came with glee in his eyes, even chuckling as he spoke. He tried to convince him to come back home with him.

"But I made you come out here, You all wet now, why, why won't you let me be"

"I could smell you from The barn come on boy, don't worry about that now, let's go wash that stench off you"

"It won't come off, l slept with the rat back at the dungeons. This is how they smell, this is how they smell when they die and rot away. That's why she doesn't want me around the barn, I scare the animals." Mr. Dunn chuckled

"Come on, son, what's all this talk about rats and smells and ma aren't got a say in what I do, she damn well knows I need me a farm hand and I choose you and as for the smell, I tell you what I'll go into town and I'll get you one of them expensive soaps. That's bound to wash it off, aren't it, boy?"

He saw that the man was indeed sincere; the glee in his eyes and the love with which he spoke broke him; his eyes filled with tears, and he screamed at the man.

"Just what do you want from me?"

"I told ya, I need a farm hand. He said it in such a playful way. That's if you'll have me. He smiled at the boy with tender warmth, he couldn't bear to look him in the eyes.

You want me to get on my knees to make it more formal, would you like that?"

Mr Dunn chuckled at his joke, and so did the boy; he burst out laughing with tears in his eyes.

"Come on, let's go home, Mr Dunn said."

"I don't know if I can"

"Well that's okay, we'll take it a step at a time." The rain was still beating down heavily and they were both completely soaked.

Mr Dunn put out his hand to him; he looked at it and nodded; he took a step towards the river.

"Come on, don't even think about it, don't jump in!" Mr. Dunn shouted

He bursts out laughing

"I was just going to get my stuff"

"Oh, I thought you wanted to escape again but that wouldn't have done you good, cause this here river leads to a waterfall"

He went back to the bushes by the river and searched through them for his stuff. He brought out a small handkerchief rolled into a ball filled with many little things inside. They seemed metallic as they jingled as he picked them up.

"Is that all you got son?"

He nodded

"Well, you can add that soap to that collection later."

"Are you sure, sir? I don't mind; I can do without it."

"Nonsense, I can smell you from the barn; how will you play hide and seek with Estiah if she can smell you five miles away."

He dropped his head in embarrassment and Mr Dunn laughed. They got on the horse and rode off, joking and laughing in the rain.