Читать книгу A Road to Nowhere - Bradleigh Munk - Страница 10

Chapter Five

The Harvester

Strange, he couldn’t remember what he did in life before he came here. Something, I think… He breathed out a sigh. Strange, I just don’t remember, he thought. He had been sent here, a place full of drama and rich with experience, and the time flew without hesitation. Weeks moved into months, and before he realized it, his time was closing in on a year. Martha became a person whom Clark enjoyed spending time with. She was honest with no predetermined agenda, and it soon became evident to anyone taking notice that hearts swelled with love and compassion. He not only had love for this smart and beautiful woman; he couldn’t imagine how he ever survived without this family. His experiences became rich and deep with meaning, evoking new feelings never felt before. As the time came closer to when he arrived a year prior, a special event was planned.

The afternoon was crisp, from the passing winter when he and Henry took a stroll down fields showing only ghosts of the past harvest. “Henry,” he started, “I wanted to have a talk with you alone. I need to ask you a special question.”

“Of course, I have always enjoyed our conversations. Before you showed up, other than Sara, I had no other adult I could be as honest with.” Clark turned a little red, but he continued with what he felt compelled to get off his chest. “I know that a year is quickly approaching since I showed up on your doorstep…” He was having trouble getting the words out.

Henry, seeing his struggle, spoke up, saying, “You have been a gift and a blessing to all of us. I don’t know what we did to deserve a person like you in our family.” This didn’t help the situation.

If he keeps talking like that, I will never be able to ask the question, thought Clark. Because of the emotions filling his eyes with tears, choking them back, he pushed forward and just went for it. “Sir, I would like to ask your permission to marry your daughter.”

It seemed that Henry was quiet for too long. However, he soon turned and said, “I can’t imagine anyone else that I would want to wed Martha.” Clark felt that his heart was singing with the angels that day, and nothing could ever interfere with the happiness he felt pulsing throughout his being.

The date was set for August 4th, and the entire family found themselves caught up in the excitement; it was like the night before Christmas, with everyone waiting for their presents. That special day was full of activity; the entire town came to witness the two commit their love for each other.

August 4 came and went, and by late September, Martha was feeling the effects of the gift from Clark, planning for delivery the next April. When the date came four weeks early, concern was felt by all, including the doctor standing over her in their bedroom. The birth seemed to last for hours; however, to everyone’s relief, the happy moment was completed early in the month of that spring morning. She was small but had a strong heart and soon showed the world that she was determined to make it.

Time quickly moved forward, and Mary was baptized on the first Sunday in June and never stopped being the joy and love of Martha and Clark’s life. Soon the family found themselves in the throes of another harvest; Martha was also having a different type of harvest and was expecting the gift the following February.

As the summer harvest moved into its third week, everyone, except Martha, looked forward to the completion of another season; this particular day became unbearable. Humidity hung in the air as clouds started to build and predicted a crisis soon to unfold. Martha, having unusual pain, found herself in the bathroom for most of the morning. Around eleven, Henry sent Glen to fetch the doctor; however, when Glen returned, he exclaimed, “Dr. Stan was unable to come out because he is tending to his sick mother.” He suggested that they bring Martha into town, and he would be able to treat her condition. Glen bridled their horse again, and the whole family loaded into the wagon to head to town. The approaching storm showed its colours as soon as they had gone a short distance from the farm; before they realized it, the tornado quickly descended upon the small group. Glen, trying to stay the course, was the first to be pulled from his seat. Clark was holding his daughter close; however, the force of the storm was too great to be able to hold on to her. He was not sure when the other three—Sara, Henry, and his beloved—were taken. As soon as it had started, the tragic storm ended, leaving Clark waist-deep in thick mud; pulling with all his strength, he was able to rise above the devastation in search of his family. Several hundred feet out in the field, he could see strips of the shirt Henry was wearing: green with white-and-black blocks. There was no movement. Off to the right several more feet, Sara lay on her back next to Martha; there was no movement. Glen and Mary were never found. Struggling to walk through the thick mud, Clark, several times, found himself stuck; however, he persisted, slowly moving forward, and after what seemed like hours, he was finally able to crawl up to Sara. She was gone. Continuing to Martha, holding her in his arms, with centuries of pain running through his heart, a flash of white light, and he was back lying next to his friend. Dropping his arms and releasing the amulet, he found that he couldn’t move for several hours; uncontrollable tears streamed down his grief-stricken face.