Chapter 3: The Farm
Next morning,
Luke woke up to the sound of the roosters crowing outside.It was part of him to wake up to the roosters' crowing since they lived on a farm.
Pulling on his shirt,Luke burst out of his room.His grandfather wasn't awake yet,and neither was his cousin,Blake Gray,he thought,or his other cousin,Hailey Gray.
Luke rushed out of their simple house,to the backyard. The sun wasn't out yet,but a little light announced its arrival.
The farm had several barn houses standing behind the house.Grandpa Gray loved to take care of many farm animals so he had a few of them.Luke walked over to the western barn,in which were three cows,Diana,Daisy and Daphine.They even had names.Well,Grandpa Gray named his every belonging,was it an animal,any accessory or anything he loved.He was sure to name them all.He grabbed a pair of wellingtons and put them on.He then pulled open the large barn doors, putting on his gloves.
"Hello,there!!"he patted Daisy's muzzle.The cows had awoken already,and were busy munching at their straw.Luke grabbed some more straw and threw it into their mangers.
He was greeted by a soft moo,as if in thanks to the more straw.
Despite all the nightmares he was having,Luke was a happy lad.He endeavored,to the greatest of efforts,to not worry about his nightmares during the day but only look happy and cheerful, despite the sorrows he bore.
Luke then went on to clean and take out the dung,which he poured into a large bucket for Farmer O'Grady to come and take to his tomato gardens.He then watered the cows.
Luke stood at the door of the barn and let out a deep sigh,taking of his gloves.He was in their holidays so he took care of the farm to pass time and have something to keep him busy.
"Good Heavens!You managed to wake up before I did,today!!" a familiar voice came from nearby.
Walking towards him, sleepily,was a Blake.Blake Gray was a fairly grown man.He had hazel hair and wild green eyes.He was typically a drunkard,ever since he lost his wife.If he wasn't taking care of the farm,he would be taking some sort of bluish wine,he called 'snow berry wine'. Blake walked sleepily towards Luke.
"You look derived of sleep!"Luke said,looking at Blake."Yes!I could use a few more days of sleep!"Blake said, standing beside Luke,"Good job,fellow!"he patted Luke's head.Blake still smelt of that strange wine he had been taking last night. Blake was half Luke's height taller than Luke was.He had a dirty brown beard,and was rather stout.
"Grandpa will be super angry for his wine!"Luke said, holding his breath to avoid the horrible stench that Blake omitted."Don't you mind the old man!"Blake said reassuringly, flagging him off,"he doesn't keep records of his wine!!" Luke said,"Oh,I see!!"
"We should get to work before it's breakfast.I am hungry enough for a sumptuous one. Hailey will surely make us one!"Blake grabbed his wellingtons.Pulling them on,"I'll clean the stables.You get to clean the styes!!" he said,a hint of mockery in his voice.
"Oh!Come on!Not the styes!I already cleaned the cows!"Luke whinied.Blake stood up and patted Luke's shoulder,like the big brother he was,"I'm glad to hear you cleaned the cows.Now let's get this over with real quick.I am very hungry." With that,he walked off towards the eastern barn,which doubled as the stables.
Luke shook his head in utter disbelief and disagreement but he had no option.He was starting to feel a little hungry,too.Taking a pail from the stack of hay nearby,he headed for the styes.The sun was already rising,kissing its way beautifully over the farm.
Pulling open the barn house,Luke was greeted by a horrible stench and the wild squeaking of pigs."I hate this already!"Luke pinched his nose to avoid the horrible stench.
He clumbered into the barn and went straight to cleaning the styes,amidst nauseated breaths.Cleaning the styes took some good time but Luke managed to get over with it.
He immediately rushed out of the barn house, completely fed up of that stench.He sighed deeply.
"I see you cleaned them, pigs,pretty well!!"Blake bellowed, standing beside the haystack,at the eastern barn."Atleast you get to clean the stables," Luke called at him, angrily.Blake grabbed a haystack and went back into the stables.
"Hey you!Clean the coop or you won't have breakfast!"a familiar voice called.
Standing on the porch,at the back door,was Hailey.She was pouring out leftovers for the pigs."And get these leftovers to the pigs,"she called,walking back into the house.
Luke went on to clean the chicken coop and put the leftovers in for the pigs.By then,Blake,too,was done cleaning the styes.
"I am now very hungry!" Blake said, standing at the center of the farm,beside Luke.They both were looking at the barn houses and sighing deeply from the heavy work.
"Hailey should have prepared a sumptuous meal for us,by now!"Blake beamed,his eyes shining with anticipation. "Shouldn't you atleast get bathed before you anticipate anything?You know Hailey very well.She won't serve you breakfast unless you've got cleaned!" Luke said. Blake looked at him,and mopped his beard sarcastically,"Then we shall see who the man around here is!!" Luke almost laughed.Hailey was the dominant kind of woman, majorly why she wasn't married yet.Every man who dared date her wouldn't last a month because of her dominance.She was tough enough to beat a man up.
"You understand very well that Hailey is a man on her own!!" Luke said, laughing at Blake's idea of showing her who the man is."Yes,I do!But today,I'm the man around here!!"came the ironic reply.
Luke glanced at Blake and shook his head in disapproval.Blake wasn't the kind to man around.He was easily ruled by women who ordered him to do all kinds of things.
"We'll see about that!!"
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
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