Long Days Ahead [Mellarkable]

[Misery]

Arden Tentsmuir, District 7

Even though it was only the very beginning of spring and a soft layer of now still littered the ground in broken patches, the vast forest had already begun to come out of hibernation and start new growth on all the trees. The bravest of daffodils had already poked their way out of the ground and begun to decorate sparsely around the district. Spring was quickly coming in full force, meaning the loggers would be hard at work, pressed for time before growing season began.

“Hand me that stone, babe,” I grunted to one of the lumberjacks next to me. My axe was growing dull only after a few hours of work, which just goes to show how quickly I had milled through the past few trees. Early spring was always rushed and the foremen were pickier than ever when it came to us felling trees. We had to get them before they started growing, or we'd have to wait a whole season for them to stop. I leaned back and wiped my brow, sweating despite the brisk air.

“Here,” a short-haired cute girl held out to me a sharpening stone with a look of exasperation. She dropped it gingerly into my hand and practically jumped away.

“Thanks, babe.” The stone only has to grind against the blade a few times before it is sharper than Caesar Flickerman's fashion sense. I smiled and winked at her frowning figure.

“I'm not your 'babe',” snapped the girl in disgust, before turning and marching back to her tree. Some chick.

“Nice going,” snorted David Farron, one of my logger buddies. He focused in on his tree trunk and swung his axe in with ferocity, “I'm sure all the women here would love to date a guy five years younger than most of them.”

“Oh shut up!” I retorted while swinging my now-sharpened axe around. It sliced nicely into the side of the tree and I attack it again and again until it finally begins to sway.

“TIMBER!” shouts the closest foreman and everyone steps back to safety to watch my tree fall to the ground with a muffled boom.

“Not too bad, lover boy,” I heard from one of the spectators.

“It's all 'cause of these bad boys,” I replied to nobody, swaggering forwards and flexing my arms. I smirked and turned around pretentiously to where David was standing moments before, only to find that he had been replaced with a shorter, scowling redhead who eyed me narrowly.

[/blockquote]

[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.

[Misery]

Arden Tentsmuir, District 7

So David had a sister. A younger sister, by the looks. I'd never seen her around before. Then again, I wouldn't. How could I? I don't go to school anymore. Even if I had met her once before I quit, I wouldn't remember her. Everything before Sylvia's death was a blur.
Sylvia. She was my younger sister. If she was alive now, would I have been in David's place instead – watching some loser hitting on my scowling younger sister? I didn't want to go there. Had my expression slipped? Crap.

“Don't you dare flirt with me, Tentsmuir!” David's sister grabbed my collar violently. Her little heart-shaped face burned a shade of red.
She was rather cute when she was angry, I decided.
“Understand?” she spat furiously, speaking almost too quickly to be able to understand. I could see her freckles clearly while she had shaken me by my neck. Sylvia had had freckles, three of them on her nose and six on her cheeks. I remembered them clearly. In fact, I could probably have counted them in my sleep. I became dimly aware that my smooth expression had wiped from my face. Crap times two.
Her eyes, so close to mine, bore into mine as her eyebrows furrowed similarly to David's when he was furious at a tree. I heard a small cough from besides me and I stole a quick glance to see pretty much all of the surrounding workers staring at my being threatened. Crap times three.

Thinking quickly, I grinned cheekily for only a second and let it fall off my face again. Then I stared right into her eyes and brushed a hair that had blown across her face behind her ear. I winked and replied, “Clear as crystal.”

I slinked away back to my post and picked up my axe, not glancing back at her until the foreman had begun shouting for everyone to get back to work or be punished. I stole a look and saw her furiously whispering to an amused David whom had gone back to chopping a log. Oh, she was mad. But she did look cute when she was mad, I had to admit that.
Too bad all I'd ever do was piss her off. Eh, oh well. She reminded me too much of my late sister, anyways.

I hauled one end of the tree I had just chopped down and dragged it out to hack off some of the larger branches. Chop, chop chop. Once I finished with that, I needed to get it over to the pile of logs that was forming. I tried to lift it again, but it was far too heavy to carry that long of a distance. Great, I'd have to ask for help.
Making a point of flexing my muscles, I went and lifted the end of the log as high as I could, but then plopped it right down on the ground. “Seems I need a bit of company with this tree,” I called out. Nobody responded. I glanced over at David, who suddenly got very interested in a knot on the side of his tree. His sister caught me looking and I quickly turned my head around again. I looked at a woman who walked past.
“Hey, babe-”
“Not on your life!” she shot back instantly before I could finish. She sped up walking until she was too far away for me to ask again.
I turned towards my tree and coughed loudly, “Ahem. I said 'Seems I need a bit of company with this tree'. Anyone?”[/blockquote]

[Mellarkable]

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.

[Mellarkable]

To be quite honest, I found it incredibly disgusting how Arden has flirted with my sister. If he wasn't my best friend, I would have probably punched him right across the face.
Well, then again. He had a reason for being such an idiot half the time,
"So David, time to focus on my wonderful homework!" Adalyn chimed sarcastically (interrupting my thoughts) which seemed to be her normal tone of voice, "Tell me, how's life cutting down these trees?"
Adalyn looked at me expectantly, probably thinking I'd answer seriously. I smirked,
"It was great until I decided to come and let you watch," I quickly flinched, expecting her to punch me. Strangely, she didn't,
"Ha. Ha. Very funny, David!" Instead, she swatted me over the head with her paper, grinning. Adalyn and I - we were always ourselves around one another. I could somehow crack her hard shell, and bring out the nice Adalyn that hid behind the moody teenager one.
Arden began trying to haul up a log - poor boy. He'd been working with us for a few months, he still wasn't used to the work. I sighed, and trudged over to him,
"Better get working on those muscles," I grabbed the opposite end of the log he was trying to pick up, which was rather small compared to some of the ones I picked up earlier. Arden smiled,
"Thanks, and David," Arden caught my eyes, "I'm sorry for hitting on your sister,"
I swallowed, trying not to show I was still rather annoyed from the episode,
"It's okay, you didn't mean to," I put on a smile, though it didn't really mean anything.

[Misery]

Arden Tentsmuir, District 7

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]

[Mellarkable]

The process of cutting trees down is quite simple. You require foremen and lumberjacks, lumberjacks being the people who actually cut the tree down -
I furiously scribbled the passage out. This essay was pointless! I'd just get David to do it for me later, he's easy to persuade like that. He wouldn't dare disobey me, which is handy.
I shoved my hand in my pocket, pulling out a sandwich I'd wrapped up neatly this morning. It wasn't lunch break, but I was rather famished,
"Ma'am, put that away please," some older guy came up to me, just as I was about to plunge my teeth into the bread. I sighed, reluctantly shoving it back into the paper parcel,
"Hope you wouldn't mind sharing that," Arden commented, doing whatever lumberjacks do. I scowled, not bothering to reply. Idiot boy.
I stared back at my paper - all of it was just a mass of scribbles with my name in the top right corner. I sighed, knowing in a year or so I'd probably have to work out here, too.
I'd been banned from ever using axes, as a child I'd somehow managed to cut myself right across my face and was in extreme medical care for weeks. My parents were too paranoid to let me use one, and David had been ordered not to even let me touch an axe. Today was the only time I'd ever watched David cut down trees this close up, normally I'd have to sit about 2 meters away.
I have a huge scar from the wound, thought you can't really see it. I purposely hide it with the bit of fringe that falls from underneath my bandana, the bit that Arden had pushed away. That annoyed me extremely - I hated it when anyone except David saw my scar. Sometimes it hurts, causing me to have migraines every so often. Mom said there's nothing they can do it about it, the good thing is just that I'm alive.
I sat on the leafy floor, watching as David and Arden carried logs towards a huge cart. I found it quite amusing how David could pick them up by himself, yet Arden couldn't. I smirked, then shut my eyes to bask in the early spring sun.

[Misery]

Arden Tentsmuir, District 7

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]

[Mellarkable]

I leaned back against a tree, unwrapping my sandwich. Adalyn was sat at my feet, already having ate half of her sandwich. She was used to being able to snack a lot, so she was rather hungry.
I poked the top of her head, covered by her favourite green bandana, "How's that essay coming along?" I asked,
"Terribly. Do it for me, I'm hopeless," Adalyn mumbled, thrusting the paper in my face. I chuckled when I saw all the scribblings, the only visible words was her name scrawled messily in the top right corner,
"Instead of giving up you could just ask me to help you, stupid," I tapped her head again, whilst taking a large bite out of my sandwich. It was only plain old cheese, but I savoured it as I knew some people would kill to have some, as cheese was generally a treat.
Adalyn whacked my leg, causing me to falter and fall to the floor next to her. Both of us giggled. I looked up, seeing Arden had had to cut down another tree by himself. I sighed, was it our fault he hadn't been able to cut it down? Or was it his own, for not being strong enough?
I finished off my sandwich, and wove between the sitting workers to make my way towards Arden.

[Misery]

Arden Tentsmuir, District 7

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]

[Mellarkable]

"GET OUT OF THE WAY!" Arden screamed, his voice cracking slightly. In a less life endangering situation, I would have mocked him ridiculously. Unfortunately, a tree was about to squish us into little Farron pancakes,
"DAVID!" I yanked his arm, pulling him away. Would he be oka-
"AGHHH!" David screamed, falling to the floor. No. No. NO!
He smashed the floor, at first I thought he was just shocked. No, his left foot was under the fallen tree. I shrieked, immediately crouching down beside him,
"David!" I screamed right in his ear, hot tears instantly rolling down my freckled cheeks, "David!" repeating his name was all I could do verbally, so I wrapped my hand around his so tightly, I thought I'd stop his bloodstream,
"Adalyn -" Arden started. I turned to face him, sending the deadliest glare I could muster,
"Don't you dare even look at me, you complete asshole!" I spat, wondering if there was a rock or something around that I could chuck at his filthy face. Unfortunately, there wasn't. Not even a twig.
David moaned some more, and due to my yelling, some of the senior workers had surrounded the area. Good. Maybe they'd fire Arden for being such a blithering idiot.
I refused to let of David's hand as the workers began hauling the tree away from his foot. I didn't dare peer over to see the damage - I just couldn't bear the thought...
"Lynny... gehmoorrmm.." David slurred in between groans. My translation was: Lynny, get mom.
I looked at Arden, the only person who knew who our mother was, unfortunately,
"Arden, get our mother. Now," I ordered, pointing towards the main village of District 7. He seemed to obey.
David squeezed his eyes shut, groaning painfully. I cried into his shoulder, a mixture of anger and fear.

[Misery]

Arden Tentsmuir, District 7

Okay. Okay. Logging accidents were common. Okay. It was just David. Okay. I can do this.
Okay.
“Arden, get our mother. Now!”
I followed what I knew to do, which was get their mother. The Farrons' mother was a healer, well-known throughout District 7, so I knew where she might be. But how could I tell her what had happened? It was the worst news you could give, to tell a parent their child had been in an accident.
I ran as fast as my feet could carry me, away from the accident and away from David and his sister, Lynn, or whatever he had called her. I couldn't make it out entirely.
Okay. Okay.
He was probably in a lot of pain. Hopefully it was just a broken ankle or foot or toe.
Right at the next building, down the alley, up this street, this way, that way.

“Watch it, Sawdust!” a lady screeches when I shove past her.
“Sorry babe,” I call, no time to stop.

Okay. Okay. I can do this.
It wasn't Lynn. It wasn't anything serious. It was just his foot.
It isn't anything bad.
Calm. Calm down.

My mind raced at about a million miles per hour until I finally reached the small clinic where their mother worked. It felt like it had taken forever to get there, though it had really only been a few minutes.
“Mrs. Farron,” I burst in, gasping, “Mrs. Farron!”
A lady looks up, flustered at my sudden appearance. She takes in my sawdust-covered clothes and my sweaty skin and her face falls. She's expecting this.
“Mrs. Farron,” I gasp again, “You have to-”
She blurts out and interrupts me with an anxiety-filled question, “Which one? Which one is it?”
Somehow, I have no idea why, she knows that one of her children have been injured. Must be a family history of accidents, or a really protective parent.
But shit. How can I tell her? I take deep breaths, “It's David. He..” I swallow, “He's-”
But she's already out the door, leaving a small confused family behind in her waiting room.

I sprint back to the site in record time with Mrs. Farron trailing behind me. She gasps when she sees the scene. David is lying on the ground moaning and Lynn is sobbing next to him. They've moved the tree off his leg already, thank God. I'm watching as the healer removes David's boot and pant leg, mind reeling.
All I can think of is how much worse it could have been.
David, David is strong. He can.. he can handle it... I hope.[/blockquote]