Long Days Ahead [Mellarkable]

Arden Tentsmuir.
Finding him annoying was a complete and utter understatement.
My brother David is a lumberjack. As I am 14, obviously I'm not. I'm here to do a school report on how people cut the trees down, an utterly joyful topic. I'm not sure if David is actually friends with Arden, but I'd like to think not.
I'm the same height as Arden, though he's 2 years older than I am. I see him around, chatting up all the women who are the ages of 20 and over. He doesn't go to school, probably to spend more time trying to get a girlfriend.
I grab the piece of paper that's folded under my elbow, and pull a pencil from my pocket, then read aloud what I was pretending to write down:
"Arden Tentsmuir, a 16 year old lumberjack, really needs to clean up his act," I smirk evilly, seeing his expression,
"Ooh, fiesty. I like this one David, where'd you find her?" he replied, a sickening tone of seduction dripping from his voice. I almost slapped him, but David interrupted me,
"Um... She's my sister," David had a scowl pasted across his face, one that looked like nothing compared to the anger on mine. I shoved my paper and pencil into my pocket,
"What a disgusting little bug you are," I snarled, taking a step towards Arden. His brown eyes darted around awkwardly,
"Leave him, Adalyn," David pushed me lightly, which annoyed me more. I slapped his hand away,
"Don't you tell me what to do! That absolute player just checked me out! He's vile!" I shrieked, getting the attention of most of the workers surrounding us. The breeze caused my red hair to flick across my face, so I shoved it fiercely behind my ear, tugging out a few strands. Stomping up to Arden, my hair once again fell in front of my face, which made my threat far less effective,
"Don't you dare flirt with me, Tentsmuir," I grabbed his collar, sharply pulling towards me, "Understand?"
His expression changed from shock to a provocative half smile. To my horror, his rough hand brushed my hair behind my ear,
"Clear as crystal," Arden stepped away from me, keeping a cool head. When I looked at David, his expression was now a sneaky grin.
He'd pay for that.

David was hacking at some logs, nearly effortlessly. From the three years he's spent doing his duty, his arms and shoulders have become pure muscle. The girls at school always gossip about him, which makes me feel disgusting.
I caught Arden glance at me, so I sent back a quick scowl. What a cow, thinking he could flirt with me. Boys are the least of my worries. I almost laugh out loud when he tries to greet a girl with his trademark "Hey babe" and she turns him down viciously.
Idiot boy, I wonder how he gets by. How could someone want a son like that? A brother? Cousin? If David was ever like he was, I would personally disown him as my brother,
"So David, time to focus on my wonderful homework," I said in an overenthusiastic tone, "Tell me, how's life cutting down these trees?"
David looked up, a small bead of sweat dripping from his forehead,
"It was great until I decided you could come watch," he smirked playfully, flinching back as he thought I was going to hit him,
"Ha. Ha. Very funny, David," I swatted him over the head with my paper, accidentally catching Arden's glance. I hurriedly looked away, pretending to laugh at David.

David had come over to help me pick up the large log I was having difficulties picking up, so I felt like I had to say something. He seemed annoyed.
“Thanks,” I grunted to him as he lifted the other end of the log. He nodded, and I added, “And David, I'm sorry for hitting on your sister.”
Like always, he accepted the apology. It was quite easy to be forgiven by David, really. He grinned and we shoved the ruddy huge log into the pile with the rest of them.
“Break for lunch soon, huh? Can't wait, I'm starved,” I mentioned with the air of passive small-talk, “How's your sister? Trying' to start as a lumberjack?”
David wiped his brow for a moment before shaking his head, “No, not for a few more years hopefully.”
Hopefully? Are you kidding? She's the first girl who was practically my age that I'd spoken to in forever. Sucks!

I looked over to his sister, whose name I could not remember for the life of me – David had to have mentioned it once or something – and tried to survey as much as I could from her before I got caught. Her red hair was messily tucked into a bandana, which didn't seem to be doing a very good job. Her hair kept getting loose. Girls cared about that stuff, right? Maybe I'd say something later.
She was scribbling something with a pencil against a tree while sticking her tongue out slightly in concentration. She seemed to have calmed some, although I certainly wouldn't try talking to her again. Shame. I'd bet David doesn't like me talking to her, either. Haha, neither of them do.

She looked up from her paper and turned to David, so I quickly looked away and grabbed my axe. We had about an hour left before lunch break and I needed to fell at least two more trees to reach quota. Better start working, no distractions. I stole one last look at David and his sister, feeling a bit jealous that he'd actually got a sister in the first place. Can't do anything about that though. A dark expression came over my face as I thought spiteful thoughts about it all. Maybe if I had started working earlier, if I'd tried harder, if things had been different... then maybe Sylvia would have been here. Maybe even friends with David's sister.
Guess we'll never know now. She's dead.

I slammed my axe into the side of a tree, but it was angled the wrong way and ended up sliding down the side of the tree, shaving a bunch of bark with it. I shook my hair and picked out a few of the larger bits of bark that had lodged themselves in there. Damn tree. Oh well, try try again, right?

I picked up my axe and chopped oncemore. Had to keep on going, right? Keep chopping that wood, like my father always said.
Someone swore loudly and I looked to the source to see the foreman getting antsy at one of the other lumberjacks for not having enough wood chopped.
Whelp. Better start working faster.[/blockquote]

I wipe my brow again and step backwards to survey my work. Unfortunately, a pile of snow is sitting right behind me and it has been melting in the warming sun. The holes in my worn boots fill with freezing slush and I shudder. Kicking at the pile, I shove a good amount away and am able to stand without being submerged in a puddle of melting snow.

I've made good work. One tree down in less than an hour, and it was a big one. Big to my standards, anyways. I have little time to fell my remaining tree, so I get to work on a smaller one nearby. The one I've already cut down won't move, so I can get it after I chop this one down. If I don't cut down this last tree, I'll get chewed out by the overseers who keep track of how much we bring back.

Too late! The lunch bell rings and I stop cutting. I've only made a small amount of progress, so I can leave the tree there. It won't fall over on anything at this point. I quickly run to the log I already finished with and carry it hurriedly to the pile. It's heavy, though, and I take some time. Once I get there, everyone is already getting out their lunches from pails or tins – the poorest workers making do with small snacks or nothing at all. I hurry to shove my log into the pile and sign that I've cut it, but the foreman gets to me first.

“Young man,” he begins crossly, “You are aware that we work on a schedule here?”
I nod. His beard contorts strangely to his face as he speaks. I flash him a smile. “Yes sir. Always doing my best!”
“You're one short,” the man reports.
Yes, sir, I'm aware of that. Anything else you want to say? I think, but I don't say anything. I nod and keep smiling.
“Keep this up,” he continues to reprimand me. Threats are uttered and large amounts of scolding take place. It's my own fault I didn't finish enough, I was distracted by David and his sister. I couldn't deny that. I nod and continue to listen dutifully. Maybe I'll be let off since I was only one short, or maybe not. He yells at me to get back to work without lunch until I have enough.
Should have expected that. I shrug it off and grin coolly at anyone who might be watching.
“Whatever you say, sir,” I reply nonchalantly. I walk with my head high back to where I left my axe and begin assessing the tree I was working on. I swing my axe and it hits the side of the tree with a satisfying CRACK. I'll have to work quickly on this if I want to eat, and even then I probably won't have any time. Sucks.[/blockquote]

As I'm working on this log, David comes up behind me for some reason.
“Hey,” I say as I swing my axe. I pause and turn to see him brushing crumbs from his chin, mouth still full of sandwich. He moves as if to try and help me, so I stop and set my axe down to turn to him.
“No,” I tell him, “Go back to your sister. Don't leave her alone, okay? I got this.”
He swallows whatever was in his mouth and protests, “You need to eat, too!”
“Yeah, well, I'm short okay? Lemme finish and I'll eat.”

I pick up my axe again and hack at the side of the thing once more. David's still standing there, watching me. Why isn't he leaving? I don't need his help – just because I'm younger doesn't mean anything. I brought this on myself and I have to act like everyone else when they've been punished. Take it like a man. Besides, I'll have extra for dinner if I save my food. David can't just leave his sister, anyways. She looks younger than I am and who knows what could happen out here. For all I know, she could accidentally impale herself on an axe or walk right under a falling tree. Little sisters should be taken care of carefully so nothing happens to them. I wouldn't question it if David was super protective of her, I know I would be.

“Go,” I grunt, mashing the axe into the trunk of the tree. I'm halfway through the side and pretty soon I can just chop off a bit on the left and it'll fall naturally. I think he moves away, so I focus on the tree again.
Chop, chop, chop.

I rub the palms of my hands. They've gotten sweaty, so I wipe them on my pants. David's sister comes marching up, probably to laugh at me or something. I stop and look up.
“Hey, babe,” I glance at her, “Mind stepping over there?”
She shoots daggers from her eyes when I say 'babe' and obviously doesn't enjoy being told what to do apparently.
“You don't wanna be around when this baby falls,” I warn.
David's standing next to her now, they're almost inseparable. She goes where he goes, apparently. I used to be like that too, with Sylvia.

“This should be interesting for my report,” I hear her whisper to David with a mocking smirk. I pretend not to hear it and keep a relentless axe-chop motion. Our lunchtime is ticking down and I really do want to eat some. At the rate I chop trees, I'll have wasted at least twenty minutes of the time.
“Come on, Arden,” David says, “Let me help.”
“No,” I reply. I mumble, “Go away. This thing is going to fall and I don't want it hitting you two.”

I stop chopping and look up and down the tree, judging the angle and direction at which it will fall. I rotate around it and get ready to make the final chop for it to fall. I think David and his sister moved away at this point, they had to. David had worked here long enough to know by now when to move away, hadn't he? No biggie. I readied myself and swung, but to my horror I looked up midswing and saw them standing in the same position as before. I couldn't stop myself from making contact with the trunk since I was already in full motion and it began to sway.
“Timber,” I shout, “Timber! TIMBER!”
His sister shuts up about her report and notices, almost too late. I swear loudly.
“GET OUT OF THE WAY!”[/blockquote]