“Hey! What do you think you’re doing? Will you stop slacking and give the pigs their food, damnit?”

Another day in Caaran Anderton’s farm, another day for Leonard to earn some paper.

And receive a whole lot of abuse while at it.

Dressed in blue overalls, a big straw hat and wellington boots, Leonard was standing near one of the stalls, holding a bucket of pig food. He was moving to empty the contents of the bucket into their feeding trough when he heard the sound of something shaking in one of the trees nearby, and looked at the rustling tree. His brief moment of distraction was noted by his ever-grumpy boss, and immediately interpreted as a sign of slacking.

“Yessir! Yessir!” he quickly replied, turning to the trough and pouring out the food in the bucket, watching as the pigs greedily rushed to make good on their hunger pangs.

“Darn lazy boy! Can’t even get the food to the pigs on time,” Caaran grumbled as he shot Leonard a look of disgust while walking away. “Dunno what the hell is up with you kids of today. Bunch of spoiled, effeminate, weak, entitled brats, the lot of you!”

Leonard moved away from the trough and sighed.

This had not gone the way he had hoped.

What he had been hoping for when he entered Pimatta was a place to, at the very least, put his life together and get himself in a good place mentally. What he got instead was three months of putting up with a pretty unbearable boss to work under. One who definitely did not give him any peace of mind.

The little show of concern and compassion the old man Caaran had shown him on the day they met had been nothing but a ruse. He was one impatient, brash old man who didn’t permit the slightest margin for error. One tiny mistake, and Caaran would rip you to shreds and make you feel like you were incapable of accomplishing anything good on this earth.

There was a reason why Pleasant Pig Ranch had virtually no worker when he walked in. Unfortunate that it was too late when he understood why.

Sure, the barn had a good space where he slept, and he was generally safe where he was. But working under Caaran Anderton was an absolute nightmare. Not a day went by that Leonard did not get a rebuke for doing something deemed wrong. Whether it was about being too slow in feeding the pigs or giving them the right portions, Caaran always had a problem with him.

And there was nowhere else to go to. Every other place in town had no space for him. He had discovered this on one of his days off, in a stroll around the small town.

This was all he had.

***

Leonard entered the barn, tossing the bucket aside while he made his way to his small sized mattress.

It was early evening. The sun had already begun to set, and its orange rays shone through the window right above his bed.

The day was done.  At least he didn’t have to deal with grumpy old Caaran for the rest of the evening. The old man would be in his small but comfy cabin, eating a nice dinner. While he had to put up with a small loaf of bread and a bottle of water.

And there was no way he could go and ask for some food from the old man. He had tried it twice, and twice Caaran tore him a new one, calling him a greedy little bastard who was not satisfied with the earnings he received. The second time was the most savage of roastings, and Leonard decided afterward that it would be better to eat some of the pigs’ food than ask the man for any help.

So every now and then, he took out some of the pigs’ food and wolfed it down before heading out to pour it into their troughs. Caaran had no idea about this, and of course, it was better he had no idea about it. Only God knew what kind of cutting invectives would spill out of his mouth.

Leonard walked over to the mattress and sat on it. He shook his head as he pulled out from the pocket of his overalls a cob of corn.

One part of the pig’s feed that he kept to satisfy his pangs of hunger.

He chewed on it for a few moments, then looked at his arm.

It looked incredibly bony.

He shook his head.

The hunger of the past three months had taken a massive toll on him. He looked horribly lean and emaciated, and even though he had no access to a mirror, he knew it was not a sight to behold.

“This is just… hmm, it’s terrible,” he commented to himself, shutting his eyes as his forehead rested on his palm. “Look at me, going hungry and struggling for daily survival under this… this horrible man. It’s crazy. So damn crazy. I can’t even get a proper meal once a day. Man, this is a crap way to live. I don’t think even Nellyn has ever had it this hard…”

Trailing off in deep thought, he paused, the depth of his last words suddenly dawning on him.

Mister Cola. Miss Nucca. Nellyn.

These were a few of the servants and workers in the house, and indeed, they weren’t in a situation like this.

They were obviously well-fed, well catered for, and at peace with themselves. They were in Hollyland Manor; there was nothing to worry about with respect to their needs.

Yet here he was. A son of the owner of Hollyland Manor. Struggling to take care of himself.

All because of a decision to live an independent life. A decision that now was clearly the most foolish of choices.

Is this what I twisted my father’s arm for? To arrive at this? Good Lord, how stupid of me!

Tears formed in his eyes.

***

In a matter of minutes, he was lying on the floor, crying loudly, as for the first time, he truly realized how huge a mistake he had made.

“God, I’ve been such an idiot! Such a damn fool!” Leonard wept. “I wasted my inheritance on stupidity! On sheer foolishness! How could I have been so short-sighted and dumb? What was the use of all the high living I did in Poki? Good Lord, I’ve been so stupid!

“To think I walked into Father’s office and bullied him into giving me my share of the inheritance, just to blow it all on obscene frivolities! Oh, God, what the hell was wrong with me? I wish I could take it all back! I’d do anything to reverse time! Oh, God!”

It was rather interesting how this realization had taken so long to occur to him in all those three months of living at Pleasant Pig Ranch. But it had hit him now, and what an avalanche of grief it had brought out of him!

Now the memory of him walking into Johannes’ office to demand his inheritance was one that made him cringe with sorrowful disgust as it crossed his mind. He had been such a silly child at that moment, thinking the life of enjoyment was all that mattered.

“God, forgive me. I’ve been so selfish and so idiotic,” Leonard continued, wiping his eyes. “I can’t imagine the kind of hurt I’ve caused my father with this. I’m so sorry. Oh, if only I could beg him for forgiveness…”

Then go back home…

The thought briefly crossing his mind, he stopped.

Return to Agena, and Hollyland Manor?

Was that really a good idea? After the classless and foolhardy manner in which he burned that bridge. Would he be accepted back? Because he knew deep down, were the tables to be turned, there was no way he would let him anywhere near the gate.

He sure as hell didn’t deserve any kind of welcome, and he didn’t think his old man would want him back. The level of disrespect he had shown them was off the charts, and they were well within their rights to not extend any olive branch to him.

But, he needed to apologize to his father and older brother. He just had to.

He just had to let them know how right they were, and how wrong he had been. They had been justified in opposing his decision; he was just too much of an idiot to realize it at the time.

Turning to lie on his back, still sniffing and wiping his eyes, Leonard nodded. The idea might have just popped up, but it certainly sounded worth it.

It was time to go back home.

“Even if they accept me back as a servant, I’ll be grateful,” he said to himself. “God knows I’m not fit to go back as a son. Either way, enough of this. It’s time to return home.”

Yep, it’s time for the young man to return home!!