Garden of Dreams: Chapter 14 (Patreon)

Chapter Fourteen: Storm

I stared at the field before me, and breathed in a relaxed sigh. It was frigid outside. Twenty One degrees Fahrenheit. But my… well… garden was probably too small a word for the compound at this point. My farm was growing like it was late spring. 

The last time I’d sown seeds I’d… gone a little crazy. Turnips, strawberries, and tomatoes were all good but after a while, you needed a bit more variety. 

My farm, the property mister Calvert had given me, was now overflowing with vegetation. Potatoes, beans, peas, onions, cabbages and corn, along with more plots of turnips, strawberries, and tomatoes were all growing nicely. 

And they were freaking covered with weeds. I almost cried as I looked at the sheer number of them creeping in along my precious plants. 

Piggot was over exaggerating the level of threat. No one had reported Heartbreaker’s presence and after three days away from my garden, I’d had enough of the PRT’s protection. As it turns out, so had they. 

The people of the city had caught wind of the PRT’s plan to protect me, and they weren’t happy. They hadn’t rioted. There was still too much good will from the Harvest Festival almost a week ago for anything like that. But they had been… unhappy that I was no longer around giving out free life-fixing vegetables and fruits.

I didn’t really feel guilty over their frustration. It was a gift, and one they could live without. They always had after all. But I missed it. The peace my fields gave me. The escape from everyday life. When I was gardening in my magic garden I could forget school and Emma and Sophia. Admittedly they hadn’t done anything worse than name calling since I’d become locally famous. They’d even lost quite a few of the hanger-ons that used to join in. But they could still hurt me. Emma in particular always seemed able to find another arrow to shoot me with. 

Gardening… well. Farming, was my respite from all that. I wanted to make sure my fields were okay. As I tugged out what must’ve been the billionth weed, I looked up into the sky and asked the wind “Would it be too much trouble for you to just make the good plants grow!?” 

The wind didn’t sweep my hair around like it did when I was feeling doubtful, but a couple of birds that definitely should not have been this far north in the dead of winter trilled an amused beat as they zipped through the waist-high corn stalks. 

“Oh? Well, I guess if you can’t do it you can’t do it. Magic wind can only go so far I guess?” I baited. 

The bird trills became annoyed and one of them landed on my shoulder. I blinked, shocked, but it didn’t move as I turned to look the little swallow in the eyes. 

It pecked my hat and flew off. 

I laughed. “Fine fine. But… if you can? Would you tell me the point of all this? It’s… making Brockton better I think. But why? Why now? Why… me?” 

The birds landed on a nearby cornstalk and cocked their head. The impression I got was something along the lines of “Why not you?” 

“Fair enough. I just… wish I knew what the point of all this was. I love it, but what is it really going to do? People don’t become better from gifts. Give a man a fish and all. Are you sure Piggot wasn’t right? That giving out these vegetables won’t just make things worse? Aren’t they just another thing for capes to fight over?”

I wanted to believe they were more. No wind came this time to reassure me. It couldn’t have helped this time. Instead the birds made that little shrug again and flew away, off to the south where they would hopefully be a little warmer. 

“Hello,” came a voice behind me. “Harvest right?” 

I jumped and spun. There before me was a group of three people. The first was in his late twenties. He was a little shorter than me with brown hair and an average face. I vaguely remembered him as one of the first people to take one of my veggies. Another was Bethany Badrum, a PRT agent who I’d gotten to know over the last few days of… not quite captivity, though she was currently not wearing her uniform. The third I’d never met before, but he had similar appearance to the first guy, though was definitely young. Maybe only a year or two older than me. He kind of hid behind the first guy. 

“Uh… hello? Bethany? What are you doing here?” 

The girl looked a little conflicted. “I was… wondering…?” 

Oh. She had seemed a bit interested in the veggies though maybe she’d felt asking was inappropriate while acting as my body guard?

“Were you here for a harvest?” I interrupted. “I’m sorry but I’m afraid I won’t have any until tomorrow.”

“No no. We’ve… all already had at least one of your veggies. We, uhm. We just wanted to ask if you need any help?” the older guy asked. 

I blinked. “I… well. Yes. I’d love some help. This is getting to be a little bit more than a one girl job!” 

Scooter huffed playfully at my feet and I laughed, reaching down to pet her with my dirty hands. 

“Sorry, more than a one-girl-and-her-dog job, of course,” I said, appeasing the little monster. Scooter huffed but then ran a circle around me before finding an already pulled weed to chew on. Teething puppies were such an adorable pain. 

The group before me grinned down at the puppy before looking back to me. 

“We… well. We wanted to see what we could do to help,” Bethany spoke up. “You might not know, but your vegetable fixed a… really big problem of mine. Something that I was worried might lose me my job. I just wanted to repay you somehow,” she said. 

“Similar here. My little brother here was in a coma before some magic tomato slurry woke him up. When he found out it was you that saved him, he wanted to come repay you somehow too.” 

I looked at the man, curious. “Did they help you at all?” 

“Honestly, not much personally. Helping my brother was the most important thing to me. Fortunately, I pretty much have my head set on straight and nothing physically wrong to complain about. One of the lucky ones, I guess,” he said. “I do think they fixed a small back pain that’s been bugging me for the past few years, but honestly that’s nothing to write home about. Still, for what it did for my brother, I’m glad to be here.” 

“W-well, uhm. Welcome! And thanks. Bethany, I know you, but what are you guy’s names?” 

“Name’s Joe,” he said before looking down to his little brother. 

The boy seemed nervous. He looked at me, then looked away, flushing. 

“Mm Jessie,” he mumbled. “Thanks for waking me up.” 

Joe rolled his eyes, apparently exasperated with his little brother’s shyness. “So, how can we help?” 

I blanched, unsure what to say for a moment, before recovering quickly.

“I don’t… uh. Well right now the biggest problem I have is weeds crawling up the corn stalks. I’ve mostly taken care of the others, but corn has this bad habit of attracting vines and you have to pull them off quick or they’ll kill the stalk. If… you guys wanted to help me by just running through and tearing the weeds off the stalks and then pulling the weeds out by the roots, that would save me hours!” I exclaimed excited, then I felt guilty. 

“Uhm. But, are you sure you guys want to spend your day doing this? I mean, it’s not like you’ll get anything for helping,” I said, more meekly. 

Joe smiled. “Nah nah. It’s perfectly fine. Guess we could do it by rows? You want me to start on the end while Bethany starts on the other? You and Jessie can tackle the area where you’re at if you want?” 

Jessie flushed harder. I eyed the boy curiously, but didn’t really know what to say to him. He was cute in that classic way that most girls seemed to like. Blonde hair, greenish eyes. He was thin with a runner’s build but not really my type. 

“Sounds great,” I said, agreeing quickly. “Do you guys want me to show you how to do it? I’ve learned a few tricks.” 

Bethany waved me off, “I’m sure we can figure it out, though just in case we’re doing something wrong and breaking the magic, you should probably come around and check behind us after we’ve done a few?” 

I agreed and we all quickly started attacking the weeds in my farm’s corn plot. I tried to talk to Jessie once or twice, but the boy was nervous. As time passed, he seemed to grow actively annoyed with himself. 

“So… where do you go to school?” I asked, prodding him to try and get him to talk. 

“Winslow, think I’m a year above you though,” he replied. 

“Oh? Is it just as shitty as a junior?”

He grinned a small little grin at the question. “Worse. Its everything you’ve already done but the classes are more boring.” 

I gave him a flat look. “Impossible.”

“No, for real, it’s true,” he insisted with a chuckle.

I groaned. “Did you really have to tell me that?” 

He grinned a little himself. “I think I did. You should know that things only get worse as you go.” 

I laughed, hard enough to distract me from the weed in front of me. Scooter jumped and ran around a little bit but continued to hang out nearby me. 

When I’d calmed down I looked to the boy. “So… Coma huh? How’d that happen?” 

He grimaced. “Fighting. Winslow. Actually would’ve been a senior if I hadn’t been held back a few years ago for the same damn thing.” 

He actually sounded quite bitter about it. 

“Oh? I did think you looked more than a year older than me,” I said softly. 

“Yeah. Just hit seventeen. Eighteen this December though. When I woke up and found out I’d had my birthday while in a month long coma… well. I really did want to say thanks.” 

“I’m… glad I could help. My Dad… he was in a coma for a little while too–!” I blinked when he suddenly leaned in very close. 

“Only got a few seconds. Joe and Bethany? Ain’t your friends. They… are empire,” he whispered sharply. “I’m about to go hard sell, so act like you’re buying my shit, kay?” 

Suddenly, he leaned out and his voice returned to the shy tone from before. “Maybe we should give your stuff to more coma patients then. Might really help.” 

I gawked, gaping like a fish at the boy. 

“Then again, your veggies have helped a whole lot of people,” he said aloud, though I now recognized the voice as an act. 

“Wh-what… what am I supposed to say to that?” I whispered. 

“Play along!” he barked back lowly. 

“I… yeah. When I realized that my abilities weren’t just crazy thoughts in my head, that I could actually grow a garden in Winter, I just had to. I like helping people. After that it just kinda… snowballed.” 

He snorted at the bad pun. 

“So… about that. Why give them to just anyone who asks?” he asked, meeting my eyes, with a look that conveyed apology. 

“I… well, if you read the post, it only works when its freely given,” I replied, glaring at the boy. 

“Ah, but you can choose who you freely give it to, can’t you?” he asked while fiddling in his pocket. He fished out a torn piece of paper and handed it to me. 

“I… guess I… could,” I lied, knowing that my power wouldn’t work if I did. 

“Good, good. Because… frankly, there’s been some talk about who does and doesn’t deserve your gift. Important people are talking about you, Taylor.” 

I gulped. “I… uhm… what…? You’re making me a little uncomfortable.”

He grinned at me and mouthed, ‘good act.’ 

I glared at the boy, feeling justified when I hissed “I’m not acting!” as lowly as I could.

He winced, a guilty look crossing his features. 

“I’m sorry. I just wanted to let you know. We know about your bullying problem. The girls at school. We’ve been keeping an eye on them. If you… wanted that problem to… say… go away? We could maybe help you there.” 

I blinked. W-what the fuck? Was he saying what…?

“Wh-whose… who is ‘we?” I asked, not having to feign the tremble in my voice. 

“Here,” He said, pulling out a very nice looking envelope. It had my name on it, while in the upper left there was only one word. Kaiser. 

Cold sweat began to trickle down my back as I opened the letter. Jessie continued de-weeding the garden. Both of us were kneeling beneath the corn stalks and the other two couldn’t see us. 

Dearest Harvest,

You have made it a priority to peddle ‘miracle vegetables’ within Brockton bay. While I applaud your attempt to improve the lives of our fine citizens with your selfless non-profit attitude, I believe you have made a grave mistake in deciding to give these wonderful creations to anyone with a pair of lips and half a brain cell. 

Your gifts should be reserved for those who have proven themselves worthy of them. To that end, I would like you to cease your short sighted distribution and begin to distribute your products in a much more… equitable manner suiting your race. You owe nothing to inferiors and every time you allow one of your powerful abilities to be wasted on them you ruin our great nation a little more. 

Should you decide to cooperate, you will find many wonderful things will begin happening in your life. As my associate has mentioned, we are aware of your problems in school as well as the financial difficulties you and your father face. A transfer to a much better school, or expulsion for those who have betrayed you, as well as wealth of contracts for your father’s union could easily be given to you. We can be a very wonderful ally to have on your side Miss Hebert and would love to have you as a part of our calling. 

Should you choose otherwise however, be assured that you will come to regret it. I am a patient man. You will have one week from today to respond. Please send any response through my representatives who should have been quite helpful to you today, and will return periodically to offer you protection from those who might do you harm. You’ll find they are quite capable, should danger befall you. 

Kindest Regards,
Kaiser

I… fumed. 

“Well, it looks like we’re about done here. Want to go check on the others?” he said aloud while pointing at the torn paper in my other hand.

I blinked, realizing that he was right and our line of corn had been had been plucked and cleaned of weeds entirely. That really had been helpful. 

“Sure,” I said, doing my best not to glare as the implications began to sink in. Kaiser was trying to coerce me into the empire! What the fuck!?

I turned the note Jessie had handed me over and read it closely. 

Sorry about this, but if you don’t sound agreeable, Joe and Bethany have orders to kill you and pin it on the ABB. Please, take the letter and act like you sympathize. I know you probably don’t trust me, but I’m… not like them. Not anymore.

Jessie Beaker
Not-A-Nazi

“So… what did you think? Does the offer sound like something you might be interested in?” Joe asked casually as Jessie and I walked over towards him. 

I did my best not to glare. The only reason I didn’t immediately give my disdain away was the fear that almost locked my jaw shut.

“I… y-yes. I think I can probably work with… y-your organization. I’m… not sure why I didn’t come to you first, to b-be honest!” I said, probably louder than I needed to. 

“Wonderful! Well, we would love to stick around and help if you–!”

“No! N-No, I’m actually done for the day,” I interrupted fiercely, fortunate that my Dad was actually pulling up in the long gravel driveway even as we spoke. “There’s my Dad now. So… it was nice to meet you all though! I can always use help around the farm. Do you… think you’ll be by again?” 

Joe seemed to think about it for a moment before looking back at me, “Yeaaah. This work feels good for the soul, you know? I think I could enjoy spending a few hours out here every night. What about you Beth? Sound good to you?” 

The PRT officer grinned widely, “Yeah! I mean, I always loved gardening as a kid. It feels good to be part of something so… grand, too. You work here in your garden after school for about three hours most days right?” 

I gulped. They knew my fucking schedule? 

“Th-that’s right,” I said, annoyed at the charade they seemed to be keeping up. 

I could feel the gleeful grin in Joe’s voice as he slid his coat back to reveal a gun on his waist. “Good. That’s good!”

I grit my teeth. “W-well. I guess… I might see you guys tomorrow then?”

Joe’s smile showed all of his teeth. “Count on it, Harvest!” 

I turned and began walking towards dad’s car, trembling with rage. I shot Jessie a glare as I left and the boy winced as if I’d shot him. Maybe he was legitimately not a nazi… but I doubted it. 

And here I was, alone and defenseless despite my plan to make myself neutral. What did I think would happen!? And what could I do about it? Nothing. All I could do on my own was let them tell me who I could and couldn’t give my vegetables to. And then no one would get them, because they didn’t work like that!

I grit my teeth. I wouldn’t let them roll over me. I’d call the Protectorate. I’d talk to Rachel. Next time they came back, I’d be ready to tell them they could shove their shit offer.

I got into the car, glaring back at the three as they waved at me. Bethany. A PRT officer! I knew she was a jerk when I met her. She’d been ‘protecting’ Dad and I from Heartbreaker for three days! How could you be a PRT member and a part of the Empire?

Didn't they vet their people!?

I turned to Dad, fuming as I spoke. “Dad, you’re not going to believe the shit that just happened. Those guys over there? They’re fucking Empire!” 

“Aww… Well. We’ll have to tell ‘em they were a bit too slow to catch you, won’t we, Pumpkin?” 

A cold chill crept down my spine. 

I turned to the back seat to find the man who'd spoken...

And promptly fell hopelessly in love.