Ruined Home
JP: Hunter and Gonyaul
They trekked another hour after they left the Suncross Square. There weren’t many people visible along the way, most likely still at the festivities in town. Gonyaul continued asking follow up questions about Hunter’s life eager to hear more.
When they arrived to the Farm where Gonyaul was a farmhand, everything looked peaceful and orderly. They did research and development crops, to try and increase size, yield and resilience to pests and harsh conditions. The present crops were on a crop rotation cycle to keep the nutrient levels high; wheat, broccoli, alfalfa, barley and potatoes.
Gonyaul’s lived in the outer edge of the winter wheat crop. They had all been planted and the underground mushroom system completed. There wasn’t much to do at this time of year, save monitoring and minor adjustment. As they neared, Gonyaul suddenly stopped and stared.
His place was razed to the ground. He took a deep breath and just took in the unfortunate sight. He led Hunter to what was left of his small shelter.
It looked like individuals had taken sledge hammers to every wooden wall and roof. Shattering and splintering them to pieces. His garden, which was well tended and a consistent source of nutrients, was completely ransacked and ruined beyond saving. It appeared that who ever did this wanted nothing to be salvageable.
Gonyaul whispered, slightly in a daze at the sight of it all. “Why do people have to be so cruel?” He wasn’t talking to Hunter when he said that. He just had to vent something.
He began going through the wreckage slowly but there was nothing visibly still there to find.
Hunter watched as Gonyaul was clearly upset as he searched for anything he could salvage. By the looks of his farm ruins, it was clear that this was done in a hateful manner fore some form of revenge. He was not sure if it was the farmers or the cultist but the result was the same. Then Hunter spoke up to Gonyaul, "You appear surprised by this. Is this your first time seeing the truth behind people?"
Little did Hunter know, Gonyaul could be considered an endangered species; his kind reduced almost to extinction. So he knew better than most. Not to mention the discrimination he would occasionally experience from narrow minded and intolerant individuals over the years.
“No, not first time.”
He moved onto the floorboards of his place and began clearing off the broken pieces to the side. Gonyaul was all too familiar with how people can make life, which was hard enough already, more miserable than it needed to be.
“This sad. But just things. What more sad is their hearts look worse than this.”
He smiled encouragingly to Hunter. “I rebuild better this time. It still a good day.”
Gonyaul signed to Hunter while bowing respectfully. “I am home. You mission successful. I am honored by you and give thanks.” Hunter had fulfilled his obligation to protect and escort Gonyaul home.
Hunter observed Gonyaul as he seemed to accept his situation as if it was a normal day. It was odd to see him not get upset. Getting upset over such a loss would anger even the clergy who were suppose to set an example for for tolerance and forgiveness. Then Hunter spoke, "You have a tough road ahead of you little rabbit. If you require my services again you still have a lot of time left." Hunter then began to walk off back to the twins place. He wondered if Gonyaul would still be alive while the cult was still at large. If he was healthy he would hunt down the cult and pick them off one by one till he could find the pig face man. However that was not a good idea since he had a bad leg. He needed some sleep and rest as he made his way back to the shack.
Gonyaul watched Hunter leave. He once again looked around himself at the devastation and began strategizing on where he should even start. It was winter, so priority should be the shelter; lest he freeze over night. The collection of seeds in the garden and other surrounding areas would be next.
He cleared out all the broken pieces until it was just the foundation and floor, which fortunately whoever did this didn’t touch. He stacked all the unusable pieces neatly off to the side for use later as potential firewood or some other option.
There wasn’t going to be enough time left in the day to rebuild. He frowned at this. Switching to plan B he spent the next couple of hours cleaning up the area and rummaging through the garden salvaging any seeds he could collect.
As the sun was starting to get low in the sky, Gonyaul went over to the flooring of his place and carefully pried up the boards to reveal his hiding place under the foundation. There were a few important items down there. He took out just the Arisha Ikeburer and then replaced the boards so that it looked normal again.
He stripped and got a second wind from the cold. Then ceremoniously put on the special attire. He then put his winter outfit on overtop, followed by his winter cloak. Layering to stay warmer.
Gonyaul then hurried to the closest farm tool shed. He let himself inside and then barricaded the entry so it couldn’t be opened from the outside. Surrounded by the tools and other farming items, he curled up in the cramped interior and prepared himself for an unpleasant night. At least he was going to be sheltered.
He spent the time meditating and reflecting over his day. The good, the bad, and the ugly. He relived the horrors, which brought a tear down his face, but also smiled at the gains. This pain and loss of his place would be temporary and tomorrow he would start the reframing process to his place.
It was a challenging day, but it was still good. He hoped those he recently met had a better one. One in particular, out there beneath the pale moonlight, he thought on. And as he drifted finally off to sleep after another emotional rollercoaster he reminded himself of the importance of evaluating people not as groups but as unique individuals. And that he forgave whoever caused the razing of his place.