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Chapter 10:
The unending fields of grain rippled like a sea of liquid gold in the midmorning wind. A young man with matching golden hair walked towards the lonely farmhouse in the distance.
Over one shoulder his brown and red bag swayed as his expansive back moved in time with his strong legs. He wore a look of cold determination on his face and had an unerring drive; both of which were alien elements here in the quiet peace that surrounded the bundle of land, nestled just miles from the city border.
As the man approached the building, he could see a figure sitting calmly on the small porch. An older woman, with gray hair tied under her neck and cascading down her back. She looked up from her needlework. "Something I can do for you young man?" she asked with a smirk.
Kylan looked back at her, "Just lookin' for some honest work ma'am," he said, squinting in the sunlight.
She paused for a moment, calmly passing her thread through the eye of the needle. "Somehow I doubt that you're very honest," she smirked again. Kylan said nothing, he simply held her steady gaze. "The thing about farm hands," she finally said, "is that when you have more than one, they tend to get into whole buckets of trouble."
Kylan shook his head slowly; his hair seemed to dance in time with the wheat, "I'm just looking for quiet, honest work outside of the city," he repeated.
She eyed him again. "You're a military man," she stated, leaning forward. Kylan's confidence faltered for a second, as she continued. "And I don't need no trouble for me or my family."
"N... no trouble ma'am," he shook his head.
"What experience do you have on a farm, boy? You been around animals much?"
"I grew up on my parents farm - just south of Renfrew city," Kylan replied. "We ran Oronin cattle and had a few fields of grain."
She was no longer listening. Instead she leaned back and smiled at fields of golden wheat, "Can you feel that, boy?" she stated more than asked, "Can you feel it in the wind?"
"Ma'am?"
Turning back to the young man, she said, "You can help with the work for the summer. But I warn yah boy: You'll find something here that you don't want. But when it leaves you, you'll never be right 'till it finds you again."
"Just for the summer?" he asked, ignoring her inane ramblings.
She nodded, "You'll be leaving here well before fall after all boy," she said with a knowing look in her eyes.
Kylan laughed to himself, "I'm Richard by the way," he said, shouldering his bag once more.
"Are you now?" she looked him hard in the face. "You, and the other farm hand, sleep in the back two rooms in the attic. But for now you should give the land a once over," she gestured out to the fields, "...Richard," she smirked.
Kylan began to speak but she stopped him with a small wave, "I'm Selmar Guthrie," she said. "You'll meet the other Guthries' soon enough." With her last words, she turned back to her fancywork, cutting him loose.
As Kylan walked to the side of the house, he could see a small barn in the distance. It was surrounded on all sides by the continual caress of the swaying wheat, except for a small pond to one side. Kylan could see fields filled with a small herd of cattle, grazing peacefully, just past the building. Even as he walked through this secluded farm, Kylan could see a large metal platform in the distance, marring the land like some sort of a giant, fetid boil.
Even surrounded by the tranquil setting and the relaxed pace of life, something weighed heavily on his heart as he approached the barn. Through the open doors, Kylan could see someone inside moving large bales of hay with ease. As he moved into the central area of the barn he could see the shorter man bent forward resting momentarily in front of the nearby bale. The naked back was taut, muscles undulating as the man breathed. His body was covered with a light sheen of sweat and dust.
Kylan's heart beat faster, his hand reflexively tightened against the strap that held his bag over his shoulder.
"Are you going to introduce yourself?" the man laughed, "Or are you still admiring the view?"
Kylan's face colored a deep crimson as the man slowly turned around, sensuously brushing stray hairs away from his wolfish face. The man's bright blue eyes gleamed. "You're the new help?" he stated more than asked.
Kylan nodded, "Just arrived."
The man wasn't listening. He looked back at the house behind the other man, "Old Selly told me to expect another," he gestured with his head.
Kylan blinked. "She did?"
"The name's Blaine," the man smiled, wiping some of the sweat from his brow with an unhurried motion.
"Richard," Kylan said, as he extended his hand in greeting.
"Right... Think you can help me move this there Rich?" Blaine asked, looking at Kylan's outstretched hand with a smile, but making no move to shake it.
"Ahh, sure."
As the two men struggled to get the hay into position, Kylan finally said between lifting the bales, "I'm shocked. This has to be the last natural farm on the planet."
Blaine's smile lit up the whole barn. "Well, Selly's an old fashioned girl at heart." His eyes danced, "I don't mind the extra work and the lack of mechanoids. It kind of reminds me of my family," he said slowly.
"Sounds like you are very fond of them."
Blaine's face took on a poorly hidden pained look as he hoisted another bale, "Let's just say I'm on my own now," he said.
Kylan noticed the expression behind the other man's sharp features, "I.... I'm sorry to hear that," he replied.
Blaine picked up another bale and continued to work, but his mind was clearly not involved. His face had all but drained of color, "It puts your life in perspective, you know?" he said after a moment.
Kylan eyes darted to the other man's sleek chest and back again quickly, "I bet," he said.
Blaine paused, and pulled a crescent, tear-shaped silver locket from his pocket. He held the object by the chain and watched it spin for a second, "This is all I have left of them," he said, not taking his eyes off the locket. In the center there was an inlaid jewel of the deepest shade of blue Kylan had ever seen. It matched Blaine's blue eyes perfectly.
Blaine held the pendent up to catch the light. As the searching rays of the sun hit the center of the locket, the stone shimmered and a bead of white light formed just inches above it. Kylan stood transfixed, as the speck of light melted into a single teardrop and struck the stone sending up two small, streaming threads of blue-white light. The rays danced and intertwined into a double helix as they climbed into the air above the shimmering stone. When the rays met they burst in a shower of stardust that fell slowly back towards the pendant outstretched in Blaine's callused hand. The shower of stars left in its wake a clear blue replica of two figures. A man and woman stood above the stone, smiling. As Kylan looked closer he could see the one was holding a small bundle.
"My parents," Blaine almost whispered.
"They look very happy," Kylan replied.
Blaine's hand closed around the pendant and the image flickered once before fading away back into the recesses of the pendant in a steady liquid motion, "It was taken a few days after I was born. It's the only image of them I have left."
"Doesn't the stone hold any more holograms?"
Blaine shook his head. "No. It's been around my family for ages. It uses the old optic scanner system but can only hold one image at a time." He looked up and smiled at the other man, "I'm sorry Richard. I shouldn't have brought this up. I mean, we just met."
"Don't worry about it," Kylan said, resting a hand on Blaine's drooping shoulder. It felt warm to his touch.
"Thank you," Blaine smiled, looking up into Kylan's face with a hint of a smile on his lips.
The two men finished their work in silence as night collapsed around the barn. Both of them seemed to walk a little more slowly towards the farmhouse as the last rays of light faded over the distant, snow capped hills.
"You can still see the loading platform out here, even at night I see," Kylan said, squinting at the large metal structure far in the distance.
"Hmm?" Blaine replied, looking over. "I guess I've never really paid much attention," he said finally. Blaine nodded slowly, his face drooped a little as they continued to walk.
The two men walked in silence for the rest of the trek back to the farmhouse; it's faint light glowing in the darkness like a warm beacon. Each lost in separate, but still deeply unsettling, thoughts.
As they entered the house a young feminine voice called to them, "Blaine honey, is that you?"
"Yeah, just got in," he called back. A row of soft, old coats of every color and pattern lined the back entranceway of the wooden house. Kylan couldn't help but feel warmed as he kicked off his dusty shoes and placed his shoulder bag in the corner.
"Well come in here," she called, "dinner's still warm if you hurry."
"Be there in second Aleks," he said.
"And bring your friend with you," she replied, "that is if you haven't worked him to death out there." As the two men turned the corner, the tantalizing odors of a warm kitchen and ready, wholesome food greeted them.
"I'm Aleksandra," the younger woman smiled up at Kylan, as the two men entered the kitchen. "You must be Richard." She dusted off both hands on her small apron and extended a hand in greeting.
Kylan nodded once to her, "Nice to meet you," he said shaking her hand.
"You've already met Selly," Blaine motioned to the older woman in the corner. Her needlework rested in her lap as she rocked slowly in her chair looking out the window. Her faded blue jeans and wide brimmed man's hat seemed to add to her mystique somehow as she sat and rocked in the flickering shadows.
Selmar just grunted, as she pierced her needlework repeatedly with her curved, bone needle.
"Don't mind mother," Aleks said as she set two places at the table and went over to the counter to bring the warm dishes of food to the table.
As soon as she picked up a dish, a soft, bleating cry from the other room stopped her in her tracks. She turned to face Blaine.
"We'll help ourselves, Aleks," he nodded, taking the dish from her hands, "You're needed."
"You're a doll." She reached up and planted a quick peck against Blaine's dusty neck as she passed. "I'm coming, babushka," she called, disappearing to a room off the front entrance. Kylan could hear the crying stop as soon as the woman vanished into the adjourning room. "I'm here, little one," she said, "I'm here."
Kylan took a warm plate with several pieces of cooked meat from the raven-haired young man and set it on the table. "You're a father?" he asked, cocking his head to the side as both men sat down.
Off to the side he could hear Selly grunt again, as she fought with her needle. Her shoulders shook once.
Looking back at Kylan, Blaine's smile reached up to his eyes, "No danger of that any time soon Rich," he laughed.
Kylan looked over to the other room after he had filled his plate, "But I thought..."
Blaine shook his head, "No," he said, spearing a forkful of chicken.
"What of the baby's father then?"
Selly grunted again in response.
"So Richard," Blaine said, quickly changing the topic, "Where did you say you were from again?"
"Just recently left the city," he said between mouthfuls of food.
The rest of the meal passed in relative silence. Sitting around the small table within the old, wooden house, nostalgia swept over Kylan, easing his burden a little at a time.
But as Kylan finally sank into his warm bed that night, something ate once more at his mind; drinking deeply from the warm blood of his misgivings. He tried to quiet his thoughts - tried to appease his inner demons - but something kept surfacing time and again. He could see the clear sky outside of his window, as the moons bathed his torso in a soothing clear light.
He let his eyes rest on the wall to the side of the room, and he imagined Blaine's sleeping form only meters from where he lay. He envisioned Blaine, bathed in soft moonlight, mouth slightly open, lips warm and wet as the blanket rustled over his naked thigh in the evening wind coming through the open window.
Kylan turned to lie on his back, desperately trying to squeeze his eyes shut and calm himself. He could feel his resolve starting to dwindle as his body stiffened with desires of its own.
He needed to focus, needed to center himself, or his world would soon come crashing down around him. Closing his eyes once more, he felt sleep rise up to claim him in its deep, velvet embrace.
Over the course of the next week, Blaine took the time to explain the routines and little jobs around the farm to the new man. As time passed, each new smile, each new sign of friendship or affection seemed to weigh on Kylan's soul like an invisible shackle.
"Is something wrong?" Blaine finally asked, as the two men sped down the dusty back road in the farm transport, early one morning. "Something on your mind?"
Kylan looked over at Blaine as he drove.
"You've hardly said anything lately," Blaine continued, "What's up?"
Kylan shook his head and looked out the window, "It's nothing."
"Relax, guy." Blaine smiled, "We've got the whole day to enjoy Newmarket." He stretched and lazily draping one arm out the window and allowing the wind to guide his fingers through the air. "Ever been?" he asked, looking back to Kylan.
"Yeah, I've passed through the town."
"You're gonna love it today." Blaine smiled, "They shut down most of the town for the public market one day a week."
"Sounds nice."
Blaine nodded. "There's something for everyone there today," his smile lit up his youthful and clear face. While Blaine lazily undulated his hand through in the air as he drove, Kylan looked over at the other man. Blaine's dark hair was blowing over his face in a hypnotic display. Blaine turned, regarding him with amusement. "What?" he laughed, "Did I say something weird?"
Kylan snapped back to reality and looked back out of his window, "Sorry," he said, "spaced out there for a second, is all."
Richard nodded, returning his eyes to the road. Soon Kylan could see the expanse of Newmarket rise up, appearing to greet the two men with open arms.
The streets were flowing with every color of table and tarp, each filled with every kind of fruit and vegetable that you could imagine - and some you couldn't. As Kylan walked through the center of town he saw vendors selling marionettes; children looking up to parents with pleading eyes. Other vendors sold beautiful jewelry that sparkled and gleamed brilliant colours as the two men walked by.
"Amazing, isn't it?" Blaine said, still looking around. He had a bag of orange colored pastries in his hand that he had bought only moments before.
Kylan nodded, "You were right," he said, "There is something for everyone here."
"Here," Blaine said, offering an orange twisted pastry to the other man, "These are fantastic."
"What are they?"
"Orange Popric rolls," Blaine replied, "There's a trick to them. You always need another person to share them with."
"Why's that?"
"Here," Blaine said, "grab the other end and pull."
Kylan grasped the other end of the pastry that Blaine held and pulled.
"Nothing's happening," he started to laugh.
"You need to pull harder," Blaine replied.
Kylan gave the pastry a small yank. As the tender dough separated in half a loud bang echoed around the two as bits of pastry and gleaming orange and white stars exploded throughout the market showering both men.
"Holy shit," Kylan laughed.
"Yeah," the other man nodded with a wink, "I loved these things as a kid. They'll explode all over the place if you're not careful."
"Mmmph, they taste good too," Kylan replied through a mouthful of crisp orange dough.
"Oh hey," Blaine stopped, pointing towards a sleek brown and black metal pole with a strange, closed panel. "Look, it's an old, optic holograph machine. I haven't seen a working one in a long time."
"I didn't think that these things were still around?"
"We should get a picture taken one day," Blaine smiled. He paused for a moment, considering, "I guess I've just never noticed this one before," he said.
"I don't know," Kylan said, shifting nervously. "How about another time yeah? I... There's still a lot we haven't seen yet. This will always be here."
A dull pain seemed to radiate from Blaine's blue eyes, "Yeah, I guess you're right," he said after a moment.
"Besides," Kylan continued, "It's not like we have anywhere to store the picture long term. Your family pendant's full."
Blaine shrugged as they continued walking, "I have an old memory stick back at the farm," he said, "We could use that next time."
"Sure."
As the two men passed through to the inner part of the small town, Blaine's demeanor shifted ever so slightly. His motions were less smooth than before and his eyes were constantly roving around the city like a stray dog looking for scraps of food.
"Hey Richard," he finally said as they passed by more produce booths, "I have to go run some errands for Selly while we're here. I'll catch up with you later?"
"I can go with you."
"No, no that's ok," Blaine replied, a little too quickly, "It'll go faster on my own. Then we'll have more time to wander."
"Ahh, sure," Kylan nodded once, "Just find me when you're done."
"Right." Blaine paused before he turned to leave. He looked at the other man and passed Kylan the bag of pastries. "You'd better hang on to those," he said, "If I walk too fast with them, I'm liable to explode."
"At least you'd taste nice," Kylan winked.
Blaine shook his head, "Sorry?" he asked. Before Kylan could reply, the other man looked back and smiled, "I've got too much on my mind. Sorry Rich, I'll see you in a bit." Blaine hesitated again before winking at Kylan. "And I always taste nice!"
Kylan tried not to blush
As he watched Blaine walk quickly through the crowd and around the corner, his eyes grew cold. Passing by a trash bin, he carefully placed the pastries inside before following behind Blaine at a safe distance.
Blaine had obviously regained his composure; slipping through the crowd easily like a graceful, dark seal. Blaine walked to the far side of the city, not stopping or even glancing at any of the usual locations that a farmer normally would - he kept moving.
At the far end of the city, Blaine stopped in front of a small alley entrance, looking back into the crowd once before slipping inside.
Kylan watched from his small vantage point, hidden behind a small vendor's booth. He peaked out from behind the white and yellow fabric that blocked the sun's rays, just as Blaine disappeared into the alley.
"Excuse me," a larger woman with a pinched face asked. "Are you going to buy something?"
"What?" he asked, "Oh... I," he looked around the top of the table at the various objects. "I'll take one of those," he said.
As the woman counted the change, he grew more impatient. He was loosing precious time.
With the object safely stowed inside a fabric baggy, he bolted for the alleyway - careful to slow down only when he was nearing his objective. As Kylan leaned back against the far wall of the alley, he fished inside his breast pocket. Pulling out a small cylindrical device he placed it on his temple and touched the outer ring. Moments later the face of the cylinder disengaged and hung in the air, inches from Kylan's head before spinning off into the alley way.
As the device on his temple sprang to life, Kylan closed his eyes and could see the details of the alley completely. It took him only moments to orient himself and a few moments after that to register what he was seeing.
Blaine stood near the far end of the alley with a package under his arm. Another man was in the alley talking with the sleek young man. The stranger had a hard expression on his face of mixed desperation and intensity.
"You know the risks kid," the man said, looking at Blaine with tired eyes. "Are you sure you want to go through with this?"
Blaine nodded, "I have no other choice." Even through the tiny machine, Kylan could see the strange look in Blaine's eyes. They spoke of desperation and hopelessness, they shocked Kylan to his core. "I've come this far," the young man continued, "I can't let it end like this."
The older man sighed a heavy sigh, "Then I hope that we'll see each other again kid. Don't get yourself killed," he said, placing a heavy hand on Blaine's shoulder.
Blaine looked down at the white wrapped package that was tucked under his arms, his hand resting there gently.
"What is it?" The older man stared at him, concerned.
Blaine shook his head, "I'm being stupid," he said finally. "I... There's someone new in my life and..."
"Someone worth living for?"
"........."
"Maybe this is one burden you don't need to bear after all?" the man asked, reaching for the package.
"No," Blaine said loudly, turning away. "I'm just being foolish," he repeated, "I can't let it go. It's all that's left anymore."
The man stepped back and nodded, "You'd better go then kid, before they find us."
Blaine nodded, slipping the small package inside his shirt. The two men parted with little more than a nod between them.
Quickly Kylan released his finger from the device at his temple, his senses rapidly returning to normal, as he heard footsteps coming up the alley. Without a moment's hesitation, he turned and dove into the doorway of the nearby building. The wood and metal would hide his body well enough even in the strong sunlight.
Crouching in the doorway, Kylan could see a small sliver of Blaine as he passed back into the crowd and vanished from sight.
Kylan let his breath out and relaxed slightly as the tiny floating machine found its way back to his palm. Connecting the two units together, Kylan stowed his gear, and slowly rejoined the throng of bodies in the market.
His mind was still replaying what he had heard only moments before. Instead of lightening his burden, Blaine's echoing words weighed at his conscience more and more with every step. It was wrong. It was all wrong.
Author's Note:
(If anyone is still reading this I must apologize for taking so long with this chapter. I've had an odd summer. It might be a bit longer between chapters than it was before as my plate is very full for the fall).
I wonder what weighs so heavily on young Blaine's mind and what the two men in the alley were talking about? I guess we'll just have to wait until the next time we revisit Kylan's past.
Until then... back to the present we go ;)
A big thank you to Kane for great editing!
As always, questions, concerns etc etc = corporeal09@yahoo.com