Harvest Moon: Back to Nature : Wait for Me
The cold outside air hit him like a brick the moment Huck arrived atthe entrance. He squinted and paused to allow his eyes the time to adjustto the bright light. He hadn't expected winter to be this cold, to be honest.The low temperatures only served to accentuate the aches in his muscleswhich were already weary from a day of mining.
I should just stop by the hot springs on my way back, he thought.It'd be the warmest place he could ever go to for the winter. He and Gotzhad been working on expanding his house for most of the year, but whenthe first week of winter arrived, he quickly realised that he had yet to make allowances for a really good fireplace. That little stove he currentlypossessed was barely able to keep him warm during the nights, even if he'dwrapped himself up with every available blanket he owned.
A fireplace, Huck promised himself, drawing his jacket in tighter.He sighed softly and stepped out from the mine, quailing slightly whenthe freezing winds crashed in on him. Within moments, he was shivering.A big fireplace, he added fervently.
He hefted his tools and began the trek home.
He spotted a lone figure on the ice when he arrived at the lakeside.He stopped to see who it might be, but it was too far for him to make out.He took a cautious step onto the ice and slowly made his way across.
The skater was good, he reflected. Moving seemingly without effort orworry, the turns and brief pirouettes were executed gracefully and seamlessly.For a moment, Huck spared his attention from his precarious footing toappreciate the other's ability. A twinge of envy arose from within. Even if he knew how to skate, he doubted he'd ever be able to duplicate that kind of skill.
The figure saw him as he approached and changed course to meet him halfway.As it neared, he finally recognised who it was. He smiled and lifted ahand in greeting. "Hi, Karen," he called out.
She skated close, careful not to send a spray of ice onto him as shestopped. "What're you doing out here?" she asked, eyeing the stuff he was carrying.
He gestured to the lone island in the middle of the frozen lake. "I was just doing some work over there."
"On the island?" She craned her neck to look over his shoulder. "What's over there that... Oh, I get it." She grinned. "You read Basil's book about that 'hidden mine' thing, huh?"
He nodded and she chuckled. "Basil's gonna be tickled pink when he hearsthis." She saw his puzzled look. "He's always going on about that mine and how not many of the people seem to know about it."
"Well, they don't," Huck said, starting his clumsy walk again. "Nobody could tell me anything about it when I asked..."
"Did you try asking any of the kids?"
He paused for a fraction of a second.
"Heh, thought not." She kept up with him as he moved on. "Just about every kid in the village knows about that place. It's been our secret hideoutfor years now." She turned around to look once more at the island. "Me, Ann and Aja used to go there during winter to explore."
"Ann?" he repeated. "But she didn't say anything when I asked her aboutit."
"It's a secret, Huck. You're not supposed to give secrets away, right?"
He mulled it over as he gradually neared the shore. "So I guess the only reason you're telling me this now is because I've already found it on my own...?"
"Right. You're in on it now, friend. I'm trusting you to not go blabbing about it all over the countryside." She clapped a hand on his shoulder, almost pitching him off balance. "Whoa! Careful," she said, grabbing hold of his arm to steady him. "You okay?" He nodded.
She waited until he was standing on his own before letting go. When he finally stepped off of the ice and onto less slippery ground, she asked,"Can't skate?"
Huck shook his head.
"Then how'd you ever get across in the first place?"
"I, uh, I mostly just slid very slowly across. Kinda like what I was doing just now."
She bowed her head in amusement. "Must've been one heck of a sight."She tossed her back, flipping the twin locks of hair from her eyes. "My stuff's just over there," she told him, pointing to a short distance from where they stood. "Let's go sit down for a bit."
He hesitated, torn between saying yes, and taking his leave. The day was beginning to wane, and he was really looking forward to spending sometime soaking in the hot springs.
Seeing his expression, Karen smiled prettily. "Come on," she said. "Just for a little while, okay?"
She took him over to where the lone tree stump sat near the edge ofthe lake. There was a small bag resting against the stump. Karen brushed the snow from the top of the remainder of the tree and sat down, gesturing for Huck to do the same. He lowered himself onto the old wood beside her.
"Geez, you're practically turning into an icicle." She dug into her bag. "Here you go." She drew out a bottle of wine and handed it to him."Go on," she said. "Take a swig. You'll feel better."
He took it from her slowly.
"What's with the face?" she asked.
"Just wondering..."
"What?"
He hesitated, wondering if there was any way he could phrase his question so that she wouldn't take offense. Then again, he thought, Karennever seems to take offense in much of anything.
"Well?" she prompted.
"Uh, do you... Do you always carry a bottle of wine around with you,um, when you go ice skating?"
She stared and Huck could feel his face turning red. Her gaze was penetrating,and frankly, very uncomfortable. Unable to endure its full force, he darted his eyes about, trying hard not to feel very small. It was as ineffective as trying to outrun a shaft of sunlight. After a tortuous period of time, she suddenly began to laugh. The sound astonished him and he just sat there with a bewildered look.
Karen was having a hard time controlling herself. She hunched over,clutching at her sides. It almost looked like she was about to fall over and die laughing. She managed to stop for a moment, but a brief look at his expression brought out the peals of laughter once more.
"S-sorry," she gasped, holding up a hand. "You... hahaha... you just looked so..." She snickered, wiping her eyes. "I'm sorry," she said again.
Huck waited for her to regain her composure and her breath. When she had calmed down enough, she favoured him with a strangely affectionate look. Abruptly, she reached over and took the wine bottle from him. With practised ease, she uncorked it and drank. A contented sigh later, the bottle was offered to him once more.
"You still haven't taken a drink, you know," she said.
Huck smiled weakly and accepted the offer. He let the warm rush envelope him as the mouthful was downed slowly. "Thanks," he mumbled. He held out the bottle to her, but she shook her head.
"Keep it, Huck."
He nodded, though still a little uncertain about her behaviour. "Thanks."
"I didn't mean to be rude or anything," she said. "Laughing at you like that. You just looked so..." Karen trailed off for a moment, as if trying to swallow another wave of merriment. She continued: "Did anyone ever mention that you blush like a little boy?"
"Uh, no," he said, embarrassed.
"Well, you do," she said. She threw him another look, smiling slightly."It's not such a bad thing, really." Her smile changed ever so slightly,turning her expression to one of a teasing nature. "I'll bet you draw in all the girls that way." She grinned at the return of his red-faced expression.
Huck took in another drink to cover his awkwardness. The wine burned a path down his throat, prompting him to shut his eyes momentarily and suppress the urge to cough.
"Not used to the stuff, huh?" Karen asked, watching. He shook his head."Well, this one's a little stronger than usual. Duke's special," she told him, smirking like a cat. "He's paying off part of his bills at the store with wine. I insisted on him including some of his Grade A products."
"It... takes some getting used to," Huck admitted. "I'm not much of a rinker."
"Whereas I'm too much of one...," Karen finished.
Huck stiffened. "No, no, no!" he exclaimed, waving his hands frantically while trying not to spill the contents of the bottle. "I didn't mean...!"
Karen said, "I know you didn't. But it sure sounded that way." She inhaled deeply, looking out onto the frozen lake. "I'm probably the only girl in the village who drinks this stuff on a regular basis. I suppose that does make me stand out a little bit," she remarked.
"I really didn't mean to..."
"Forget it, Huck," she told him, stretching lightly. "I had my first taste of wine when I was about twelve. My Grandma used to have a small glass every night before she went to bed. She always told me that a glass of wine each day was good for my health."
She turned to him and winked. "So far I haven't found any reason to disagree with Grandma on that. Not that I've actually looked for one in the first place."
He laughed along with her. "You were born here in Mineral Village, then?"
"Mm-hmm. I've been born and raised a true blue Mineral gal," she replied,smiling widely. "How about you? You came from the city, right?" He nodded."Why'd you leave?"
"I heard that Grandfather passed away and that his farm was left untended."
"Why'd you want to take over your grandfather's farm?" she asked. "It was a big surprise when we heard you were coming here all the way from the city to work on a farm."
Huck smiled slightly. "I had good memories of this place," he replied."I visited here once as a kid. I spent most of my time here alone since Grandfather was always busy with everything at the farm." He turned his head slightly to look in the direction of his new home. "But I could see that he really loved it here. I guess I learned to love it, too."
She watched him quietly as he spoke, and remained silent for a while after. He went on, "My parents thought I'd gone bonkers when I told them I wanted to quit my job in the city to come out here. I think they're still in shock right now," he quipped.
Karen's silence was becoming almost as uncomfortable as her stare earlier.He continued talking, more from an effort to keep the unsettling feeling away than to tell her anything useful.
"I saved up as much as I could, then came out here with everything I thought I'd need. The first couple of weeks were... tough," he admitted. "I had a lot to learn about how to till the soil, how to plant and cultivate the seeds, how to watch over the animals... I didn't realise how hard this kind of work could be. That first spring, I'd go to bed dead tired every night." He chuckled a bit at the memory. "I'm getting better at it as I go along, though. To tell you the truth, I don't think I'd want it to be any different."
"All this because of a childhood memory?" she asked softly.
He looked at her, momentarily confused. "Huh?" he said intelligently.
"You're going though all of this just because you remember your grandfather being happy here," she said.
Put that way, it did sound a little odd, even to his ears. "Well, yeah,"he responded, "but it's not just because of Grandfather's happiness." He stopped.
"What, then?" she asked after a while.
He ducked his head. "It was for mine as well." When she prompted himto go on, he said, "I was happy here. I really was. It was so different from the city. So much open spaces, so much to see and do. I met... I met people whom I wanted to remember; people I want to be able to meet again and again. I think coming here really opened up a new world for me."
He glanced at her. "Ah, that probably sounds strange..."
"Just a little," she assured him with another of her wily grins. "This place seems to do that to a lot of people who come here." She closed her eyes. "I've always wondered what the big cities were like."
"Crowded, noisy, hectic," Huck replied. "But that's not the whole story.It was exciting, too. You can meet a lot of people all the time, get the latest and best of all the stuff there is."
"Listen to the newest sounds," she added.
"Hear the latest news..."
"See the brightest lights..."
"Play the most challenging sports..."
"Drive the fastest cars..."
"Yeah, but then there's all those pesky speed limits you have to stick to."
"Hey, fast cars are meant to be driven over speed limits!"
"Only if you don't fear the cops."
"Don't you wanna live forever?" she asked, narrowing her eyes and pitching her voice low.
"Not behind bars!" he retorted.
They stared, then laughed. When it subsided, he took another swig from the cold bottle and then offered it to her. She accepted, but didn't drink any.
"Sounds like it was a blast," she said, looking at the label on the bottle.
"It was, actually," he said. He wondered at her behaviour.
"But you still came out here."
"Yeah."
She gave a tiny snort, as if she'd found something amusing. Then, she finally lifted the bottle to her lips and drank. After a few quiet minutes, she muttered, "Aja left the village to go to the city."
She traced her fingers across the elegant 'AJA' label of the wine bottle. "Just up and left without telling anyone. Not her parents, not even her best friends." She frowned. "And Joanna, too. Disappeared for a couple of years, then showed up long enough to walk up to her dad's ranch before taking off again." She focussed an angry gaze at the object in her hands. "Aja and Joanna both left everything they knew to go to the cities. You, on the other hand, left everything you knew in the city to come out here. There's something really ironic in all that."
Huck was speechless, mostly because he was trying to recall who Joanna was in the first place. Of course, he remembered eventually. May's mother.
Karen was still resolutely glaring at the label, as if she were daring it to come to life and explain its name sake's actions. Huck cleared his throat softly. "Are you thinking of leaving here?"
"Yeah," she admitted, "but not like that. Not... Not that way. If I leave, it's going to be on good terms."
A question rose in his mind, and his mouth uttered the words before he even realised it. "Are you happy here, Karen?"
Her answer was prompt. "Yes."
"Then..."
"Why do I want to leave?" she finished. "Because I want to see what else might be out there. There's more to the world than just this place,and I want to experience it. And then, I want to come back here and be able to look at this place with newer eyes."
"Newer eyes?" he repeated.
"How will it feel like coming back here? Will everything be the same for me once I've seen what it's like out there?" She gripped the bottle tightly, a determined look in her eyes. "I want to know. I want to find out for myself."
Abruptly, as if realising where she was, she licked her lips and turned to face him. "How about you, Huck? Are you happy here?"
"Yeah," he said. Slowly, "In a way, I guess I've already been through what you're looking for."
"And how did it feel," she asked, "coming back here again?"
"It felt... new." He shook his head helplessly. "I can't really explain it any better than that. I don't even think I should try."
Karen smiled at him warmly.
"You're right," he went on. "It's something better found out for yourself."
She held out the wine bottle in both her hands. "Thanks, Huck," she said softly.
He nodded. "Have you made any plans yet?"
"Some. Nothing too concrete. I've saved up enough cash to get me started." She noted his puzzled expression and said, "I'm all ready to go. I'm just waiting for the right time."
"And when would that be?"
"It's getting closer," she said vaguely. "I just need to see something through to the end with an old friend of mine."
"Ah." He thought of Rick over at the poultry farm and was surprised at the slight stirrings of envy he felt at that.
"Something wrong?" she asked suddenly.
"No," he said quickly, flushing brightly. "Nothing."
"Right," she said, amused. A breeze picked up, prompting her to look up at the clouds. "Looks like it might start snowing tonight."
"Yeah." He sighed to himself. "Well, I'd better be going." He leaned over to pick up his tools.
"I'm going back out on the ice one more time," she told him. "Care to join me?"
Huck paused in mid-lean, then reluctantly shook his head. "I've got to get everything secured on the farm before the snow hits..."
"Just for a little while," she insisted. "Then, afterwards, I'll come along with you and give you hand." Seeing his indecision, she put on the sweetest smile she had in her repertoire. "Please?"
He laughed, unable to help himself. "I can't do anything much on the ice," he said. A last ditch effort at dissuading her.
It didn't work. "That about balances things out," she said, "since I can't do anything much on the farm." She stood before him. "But you'll be there to show me how, won't you?"
He gazed at her offered hand, then up into her mischevious eyes. Behind the good-natured mirth, however, there was an expression there that he thought he recognised. A strange, hopeful nervousness that could not otherwise be seen as she waited for his answer. He played her words over again in his mind and smiled up at her.
"All right, then," she exclaimed, leading him out onto the icy surface.
Once out on slippery territory, his own trepedition grew by leaps and bounds. As she skated gracefully around him, he whipped about to keep her in sight. All he ended up doing was windmilling his arms wildly in his desperate attempts to keep from slipping. "I'm really not good at this," he muttered apologetically.
"No worries," she assured him. "Just take my hand."
"Right."
She led him slowly, holding him up and reorienting his path as was needed. Their movements were uncoordinated at first; his every disjointed and shuffling step was a lesson in experimentation as each tried to respond and adapt to the other's unfamiliar rythms. Bit by bit, however, some of the uncertainty and cold melted away like fragile snowflakes beneath the last vestiges of warmth from the waning sun, and their motions grew a little easier. A new instinct began to guide their physical duet. The results were far from perfect, but for the time being, perfection didn't matter. Like many good things, it was something they would learn to work with.
"Er, Huck?"
"Hmm?"
"Could you loosen your grip a little bit? You're gonna mash the bones into mulch this way."
"Oh! Right. Sorry."
"Wanna have a race? First one to reach the island wins."
"N-no!"
"Just kidding."