The Clearing [Heartwood]
Jun 6, 2012 17:08:29 GMT -5
Post by Sheena on Jun 6, 2012 17:08:29 GMT -5
The day had been windy, dry, and hot, like many days before it in this summer season. As a result, most of the days that Eyal spent, working in the forest and lumberyard, cutting down trees and hauling logs, were dragged out and made to felt twice as long as they normally would. It was worse that the temperature meant that less clothes were more comfortable, but less clothes meant burned skin. Eyal’s back had been burned raw, blisters forming at the base of his neck, because he decided that the heat was too much for the protection that clothing brought. He was definitely paying for that decision. The muscles in his back felt strained and the skin felt tight. It was hot to the touch.
By the time Eyal would finish work, the sun would be gone and the heat with it. He felt intense relief and actually looked forward to going home. He imagined is supper and his mouth watered. He was especially excited for water to rehydrate himself after sweating so profusely all day. Eyal’s dinner would also consist of some ground beef mixed with an assortment of cheap vegetables. Because it was only he and his father, and Eyal could pretty much fend for himself, Eyal rarely went hungry. Even as a child, he was never without a meal. His mother never ate much. He was very lucky compared to others he had met who had siblings that needed feeding as well. Eyal wondered how different his life could have been if Tamesis and his stillborn sister had lived past infancy.
On most nights, Eyal would take his sweet time getting home, but the pain in his back and the hunger in his belly caused him to go home right away on this night. He walked with the other workers, though he said little to those who tried to make conversation with him; he would simply smile instead. He had a friendly smile that always seemed effortless, though it was forced more often than not. No one needed to know that. Eyal rarely walked home with his father, and this night was no exception, though he could see Noah about fifteen feet in front of him. Noah was just as silent as Eyal, although he looked a lot more sullen on this night.
Eyal arrived home shortly after his father, who had already started making their supper. The two plates and forks were piled on the table like they always were, so Eyal laid them out. He then went to the opposite side of the room and washed his hands and face in the little white basin they kept. He allowed some of the lukewarm water to run down his back as he splashed some water on his neck to soothe it. He could feel the bumps that were blisters. Despite the heat, he would have to wear a shirt. Eyal doubted that burning your skin over again could be healthy. He walked over to the table and sat down in the spot that he always sat. While he had washed, his father divvied up the meal and began eating. The beef was dry and relatively tasteless, as one would expect unseasoned beef to be, and contained stale carrots and hard peas. Still, it was dinner, and it filled Eyal up. As always, the dinner was silent. Awkwardly so. It didn’t matter how many years they went, eating dinner in silence day after day, it always felt uncomfortable, like something needed to be said but never was.
It was always late by the time Eyal and his father got home, so they both went to bed after dinner, though only Noah slept. Eyal had to sleep on his chest to ensure that no pain would be had, but his back still pulsed. The cool air stayed outside while the inside was muggy and warm. An hour must have passed before Eyal realized that the pursuit of sleep was a wasted one. He got out of bed and decided to take a walk. Maybe that would help. He walked into the forest and headed to his usual tree with the natural footholds and sturdiness necessary for his weight. When he was close to the said tree, he decided that he wasn’t in the mood for climbing. The leaves wouldn’t care too much about his sunburned back and would probably scrape against him just for fun. He decided that he would walk the vast forest instead. Perhaps he could explore.
By the time Eyal would finish work, the sun would be gone and the heat with it. He felt intense relief and actually looked forward to going home. He imagined is supper and his mouth watered. He was especially excited for water to rehydrate himself after sweating so profusely all day. Eyal’s dinner would also consist of some ground beef mixed with an assortment of cheap vegetables. Because it was only he and his father, and Eyal could pretty much fend for himself, Eyal rarely went hungry. Even as a child, he was never without a meal. His mother never ate much. He was very lucky compared to others he had met who had siblings that needed feeding as well. Eyal wondered how different his life could have been if Tamesis and his stillborn sister had lived past infancy.
On most nights, Eyal would take his sweet time getting home, but the pain in his back and the hunger in his belly caused him to go home right away on this night. He walked with the other workers, though he said little to those who tried to make conversation with him; he would simply smile instead. He had a friendly smile that always seemed effortless, though it was forced more often than not. No one needed to know that. Eyal rarely walked home with his father, and this night was no exception, though he could see Noah about fifteen feet in front of him. Noah was just as silent as Eyal, although he looked a lot more sullen on this night.
Eyal arrived home shortly after his father, who had already started making their supper. The two plates and forks were piled on the table like they always were, so Eyal laid them out. He then went to the opposite side of the room and washed his hands and face in the little white basin they kept. He allowed some of the lukewarm water to run down his back as he splashed some water on his neck to soothe it. He could feel the bumps that were blisters. Despite the heat, he would have to wear a shirt. Eyal doubted that burning your skin over again could be healthy. He walked over to the table and sat down in the spot that he always sat. While he had washed, his father divvied up the meal and began eating. The beef was dry and relatively tasteless, as one would expect unseasoned beef to be, and contained stale carrots and hard peas. Still, it was dinner, and it filled Eyal up. As always, the dinner was silent. Awkwardly so. It didn’t matter how many years they went, eating dinner in silence day after day, it always felt uncomfortable, like something needed to be said but never was.
It was always late by the time Eyal and his father got home, so they both went to bed after dinner, though only Noah slept. Eyal had to sleep on his chest to ensure that no pain would be had, but his back still pulsed. The cool air stayed outside while the inside was muggy and warm. An hour must have passed before Eyal realized that the pursuit of sleep was a wasted one. He got out of bed and decided to take a walk. Maybe that would help. He walked into the forest and headed to his usual tree with the natural footholds and sturdiness necessary for his weight. When he was close to the said tree, he decided that he wasn’t in the mood for climbing. The leaves wouldn’t care too much about his sunburned back and would probably scrape against him just for fun. He decided that he would walk the vast forest instead. Perhaps he could explore.
