Up In Smoke with Fresh Bread

Our town got back to business as usual after the departure of our first lumberjack and his family fairly fast. Charles was doing a great job keeping a healthy supply of the valuable oak wood for us. I was searching for a new project when Steven called a town meeting. He had been talking with one of our newest town's citizens, and he was interested in taking on a larger part in the town. His name was Christopher White, and he had some experience as a baker. He was a modest kind of guy, stating that he really just fiddled around, but most of the townsfolk knew that his bread was the best. It was put to a vote, and it was unanimous: Christopher White would be our baker. He preferred to be called White to prevent confusion. He was an affable and comfortable type of person, and he was already well liked in the community. Christopher started planning the bakery right away. Everything seemed to be going well... until I accidentally set fire to our ship.

The ship that had carried us to new hope and possibly a better life was just a few bits of wood and chests after my accident. I had gone to the ship to put some stuff in my personal chests and to get a few items there. I fumbled with the flint and steel, forgetting how sensitive this one was. All of a sudden, everything, including myself, was on fire. I panicked a little, and I didn't see the bucket at my feet at first. More could have been saved if I had seen it sooner. I tried smothering the fire at first, but there was just too much. The smoke got to me, and I had to put myself out several times. I concentrated on saving the chests, the beds, and the bookshelves. I saved most of the chests, 1 bed and 1 bookshelf. Christopher and Steven tried to come help once they saw what was happening, but I had most of the fire out by that time. I got back to shore, looked back, and started to cry. It had been a home to me, and I did not want to see my friends' faces when I explained what happened. They were mostly just glad that I was okay. It was Karen who helped the most. She looked out at the wreckage, took a deep breath, stood up tall, and said, "Good riddance. It might have brought us to our home, but it was a constant reminder of the past and all we have lost. It is fitting that it went up in flames. Now, we are free. Cheer up, my friends, and take this as a good sign."

Karen then forced me to go the the Healer House with her. She was worried about my minor burns and the seawater. She gave me some herbal concoction to help me breathe easier, and she put something wonderfully soothing on my burns. I would hurt for awhile, but I was okay. The next day, I went back to the shore to see what was left. It wasn't pretty, but I had a new sense of relief. I would have to build myself a house for my new project. As I strolled back towards town, I saw that Christopher had started building the bakery. White was excited and already had on his baker uniform. I smiled as I went by, and he smiled back. Yesterday had been bad, but tomorrow held the promise of fresh bread and a true home. 

Kennels and Goodbyes

I didn't realize how thin I was stretching myself after building the healer house for my dearest of friends, Karen. When I went to build the kennels for Jennifer, I did not plan properly. The area I had originally selected for the project did not have the orientation or space I needed. I began building and tore down several structures behind the healer house. It just didn't feel right. I was in the middle of trying to re-build the kennels once again, when I fell off the one story structure. I sprained my ankle, but it could have been a lot worse. Karen ordered me to rest for a few days. After that, I grabbed my building tools and supplies. I wanted to get right back to my project. I felt it was of utmost importance. Karen caught me before I could so much as remove one wooden plank from the building I had started a few days before. I was on “light duty” for the next few weeks. She had the whole town watching me after that. I realized I must really have been getting better because I didn't mind the hours upon hours jobless and allowed to wallow in my dark thoughts. I had never been so bored and yet so restless as those few weeks of light duty. They allowed me to walk around the town, to plant flowers and the remove some weeds, but I was encouraged to sit down and talk to the women of the town (preferably with my leg prompt up and a cool beverage in my hand). After two long weeks of socializing me, Karen finally relented. I suspected that it wasn't just my ankle she was worried about. I think she wanted me to get to know others, to let them into my life, and I had given her the perfect opportunity.

One of the best things that came from being on light duty? I figured out the perfect plot of land for the kennels. I redesigned my overly extravagant and large plans, and I knew what I had in mind would be perfect for Jennifer's needs. The new plans brought me some happiness, but I would not be content until my project had been completed. I thought about the benefits of having a kennel close to the houses. The dogs that Jennifer cared for could act as an warning system. They sleep at night, so they would only bark if something were to threaten the area. Jennifer would like the kennel pretty close to home anyway. I cleared the area once I had been given town approval, and I finally started building with a clear vision. I used a lighter wood for the kennel because we had an over abundance of birch. The town had decided that the main buildings and homes of the town should be of the same wood, and the most prominent tree around was oak. Christopher was used to building with this type of wood as well, and the lumber jack we had attracted felt oak was the best quality. I readily agreed with this, but I wanted the kennels to feel more open and airy. With only the front of the kennel being open, it would be easier to get enough light in there without causing danger to the animals or putting in unnecessary windows. Jennifer liked the lighter wood and readily agreed with my choice.

I knew that I wasn't a master builder, especially after this endeavor, but I felt that it was functional if not beautiful. I got a little creative with some fences, but I liked it. Inside there was 3 main fenced in areas. One area was for the sick or injured animals. Another area was for the expectant and new mothers, and the last area was for any animal (mainly dogs would be using this kennel) that wanted a place to sleep or rest in a shaded and cool place. I made sure there was a place for fresh water, and I put in a chest that Jennifer could keep stocked with anything she might need or want for the animals. I wasn't as proud of it as I was the healer house, but I thought it would fit with exactly what Jennifer wanted.

After I finished the building, Jennifer went through it, and she seemed pleased. I felt like I had done a good job, and it was such a nice feeling that I wanted to keep doing special projects for the people of our town. I moved some of the wheat fields behind the healer house. I had planted the additional wheat originally by Steven's farm. It was awkward and everyone had to be careful walking through that area. Steven didn't mind where the wheat was planted, but he seemed to be pleased with the plot of land I tilled behind Karen's building. Karen thought it gave the view out of the back window a nice comforting view. I couldn't have been happier with it.

There was one sad thing that I noticed when I was on light duty. Our original lumber jack had decided to leave the town. He and his wife received a letter from some distant family with many woes. They had done some heavy thinking on the matter, and while they loved our town, they could not let their family suffer if they had the ability to ease the hardship. We wished William B. Williams and his wife a tearful farewell. I made sure they had plenty of bread and apples for their journey, and the other townsfolk sent them off with similar gifts. Karen hugged them both, cried while saying goodbye, and kept telling them to be safe. Jennifer was somber and held Christopher's strong hand. Luckily, one of the new men in town was a lumber jack.

William worked with him a little before he left, and he assured us that Charles E. Harris was good at his job and nice fellow. I wasn't sure how I felt about the Williams family leaving so soon after arriving here, but mostly, I felt relieved that someone was there to take up the job immediately. I did feel a little sad because I liked William B. Williams. His name always made me smile, and I would miss saying hello. Was this a bad omen that some of our settlers were already packing up and leaving? I hoped not, and I held onto that hope. After all, Karen, Steven, Jennifer and Christopher were still my family and still there with me.  

A Place for Healing

It was harder than I expected to get to know the newcomers who had chosen to settle in our new little town. Karen was the best at meeting and getting to know people. I left it up to her to greet the new settlers for now. Meanwhile, I had things to accomplish. We had a town meeting and decided that we mostly wanted the town to stay on the humble side. We wanted everyone to be equals. Karen mentioned that having a place to treat the sick or wounded might be nice. Jennifer thought it would be nice to have a place for the animals she was caring for. Christopher was already so swamped with building new houses for the new settlers and planning where future businesses and homes would be that he could not handle more projects for the moment. In fact, he wouldn't be able to look into new building plans for months. Karen and Jennifer both seemed a little disappointed, but they understood that housing and certain businesses had to come first for a new town.

I was still trying to find my place in this small community, and I had received training for many jobs. We created a temporary mine until we could attract a miner to our town, and I was decently talented in mining. Our iron, silver and coal supplies grew a little fatter, and everyone seemed happier. I took to making windows for the houses to help with defense, privacy and the overall appeal of the homes Christopher had already built. I planted additional wheat alongside Steven to increase our food stores. I helped harvest the wheat , and I kept Steven supplied with shovels and hoes for his work. I took the wheat and made life-giving bread. We had a small feast for the first bread. It wasn't the best, but it meant that we could sustain a life here. Maybe a baker would turn up, and then we would have a real feast. In the meantime, I continued with my personal projects.

Karen seemed so sad that she didn't have anywhere but town hall or her home to treat those in need. I knew that the wait for the building she needed was too long. Our town would benefit from having a healer house. I consulted Christopher and Jennifer, and I asked for permission to clear and use a plot of land near the wheat fields and the lake. I explained that I wanted to surprise Karen with her healer's house. Christopher had much advice. He explained what type of wood I would need to create the house and about how big it needed to be. Jennifer was happy with the plan, and I had never seen her so excited. I started that day. I cleared the land, marked out the area, and collected the wood I needed from the lumberjack. He was a newcomer, and I only remembered his name because it was easy: William Willams.

I started building the next day. Everyone was a little curious as to what I was creating. I was not as good a builder as Christopher. I tried to follow his advice as exactly as I could. I made the structure a little too large, but I figured that if our town kept growing, the extra room would be good. The roof was the hardest part for me. I just didn't have the knack for roofs that Christopher did. I fell off several times. Karen, who assumed I was building what would be my house, came to my aid each time. While she did her healer's work, she admonished me. Karen told me to be more careful and watch where I was putting my clumsy feet. She said, "When you are shifting out on a ledge, make sure you are crouching with your feet planted firmly. If you go slow, you shouldn't fall." I tried to follow her advice, but it was hard to find a way up to the roof that didn't cause me to immediately fall down again. Finally, I just made a dirt tower that was easy to construct and tear down. I finished the structure without further damage to myself.

I then decided that I needed to make some sort of sign or symbol to mark this visibly as the healer house. We were already deconstructing our ship to make smaller ships for short journeys. I took one of the sails for my purposes. I also collected extra bedding and beds that were not being used. I made a cauldron, a chest and a crafting table for anything Karen might need to do. I constructed bedside tables and put railings on some of the beds. These would be for the people who needed more intensive care. I made a place upstairs for Karen or whoever was watching the sick to rest during the night. Jennifer came by several times to see how it was going. She suggested a few things, but she was impressed with the inside. I made sure to include several windows for extra natural light. I knew Karen was skilled at making curtains if one of her patients needed rest without too much light as well. Karen tried to come by several times, but I always managed to shoo her out the door without her becoming too suspicious.

After much thought, I decided that a white cross on a red background was the perfect symbol for the healer's house. It was easily recognizable, and it was easy to make for one as unskilled at knitting as I was. I put up the sign at night, and in the morning, Karen was completely surprised and thrilled.

Karen inspected everything. She loved the windows and the place upstairs I had created for her especially. Karen felt like she could really make a difference now that she had the space and the tools to help people. She didn't think it was too big.
She came out to thank me.

The inside was my favorite part.

I did add a few more windows, another cauldron upstairs and some more torches after I revealed the building to Karen. She laughed and said now she had somewhere to treat her clumsy sister. I just smiled and blushed. Everyone in town was impressed with what I had accomplished. I felt closer to them and to knowing myself somehow. Maybe I was on the right track to finding my own place in this community. The next thing on my project list was to design and build kennels and other structures for animals. I just wanted to make everyone's lives a little easier.

~Fiona

Meet The Family

I was getting better, pulling myself out of the abyss of guilt to taste the sweetness of life once again. Here was my chance at a new life, one where I could earn my place and prove myself. I was determined that nothing would be handed to me, that I would feed, clothe, and house myself. I would also protect this town and its people with my life. They were my family now, and I wanted to earn their respect.

Karen and I became like sisters, and I discovered that part of the reason she took pity on me was because of her mom. She had to watch as her mother faded away, staring off into space in some delusional dream. When she saw that I was slipping away, it twisted her heart. She wanted to prevent anyone else from her mother's fate. Karen liked taking care of others, and she was good at it. The 5 of us, from the old town, agreed that woman should take a more prominent role in the community. Karen would be our healer. Jennifer wanted to take care of the animals. I was still trying to figure out what my skills really were, but in the meantime, Karen declared us sisters. Jennifer was a littler cooler towards me, but she was mostly cool towards everyone and everything except animals. 

That was how I knew Jennifer thought of me as family. She had befriended some of the wild dogs. They loved her immediately, and I had never seen Jennifer more happy. Her dogs had a litter of pups, and she gave me Shadow,  my very first pet. I loved Shadow from the moment I held him in my arms, and he was my constant companion. Somehow, Jennifer knew that Shadow would help me heal faster than anything else. My pup was fiercely protective of me, just as protective as I was of him. 

The town thrived as more travelers came and decided to stay. They were polite, mostly, if a little uptight. They were welcome distractions from our grief. Soon, our little town was being built and plots of land marked out for future development.

Steven became our farmer. He was good at it, and hope for a future here grew in all of us. Steven was happy in his role, and he finally caught Karen's attention. Karen's betrothed had stayed behind, so she was free of the burden of an arranged marriage. Steven had always admired her. He reminded Karen of her father in the best of ways, and she realized that happiness could be found in love.

Christopher became our builder. He loved working with his hands. He was happy to plan and build the town hall, the houses and the businesses. He was quiet and strong, and it was no surprise that Jennifer, loner that she was, fell for him. I was happy that love had sprung up again. 

I was still learning the newcomers names at this point, but I was beginning to feel like we could all be happy again. My heart lifted, but I kept it under tight control. There were still many dangers that could threaten our growing family. I was determined to make sure that our hope and happiness were not in vain. I would fight for this new life. I would fight and win.

~Fiona

The Beginning

My story started out as one of tragedy and disaster. My mother had started a small town with big hopes before I was born. The settlers who came to inhabit the town depended on her for everything at first. It took awhile, but the town started to be self-sufficient. My mother finally got a tiny bit of breathing room then... enough to start a family. I was born in my family's home, a big farm house with lots of room and a wonderful kitchen. My earliest memories are of wanting to help my mom cook. We loved to make cakes together. I grew up under the care of my mom and the other women of the town, but when I was 10, my mom went out to deal with something that was threatening our town. She never came back. After that, the town voted to have one of the upper class citizens take over managing the town until I was of age. The day I turned 16, I was to take my mother's place, but that never happened. The week of my 16^th birthday, I was on duty as the defender of our town. I inherited my armor from my mom, and it was the best. I wasn't scared of the creatures of the night anymore, but fear and caution would have saved many more lives.

They came out of nowhere, silent and deadly. We had dealt with creepers before but never anything like this. There were at least ten of them that converged on the town. I had just enough time to shout a warning before it happened. Creepers, the kamikazes of chaos and unholiness, destroyed my town beyond all repair. Some of the older kids and teenagers like me were the only ones able to get away fast enough. We looked around at the devastation, the smoking ruins of our homes, businesses and town hall, and we could not process the loss. No one called out for parents who would not answer. We were all familiar with the dangers of our world even if this was unthinkable. For a few weeks, the survivors camped on the beach a short way from the former town. None of us knew what to do or where to go. Some of the teenagers wanted to rebuild where the town had once stood. Some wanted to journey far away, never to return to this cursed place marked by pain and grief. At first, they wanted to look towards me to make the decision, to be the leader I was days away from becoming. They soon came to understand that I was locked away in a prison of despair and guilt. I had been on watch. I had failed to protect my beloved town. How could I lead anyone? The group split into groups of those wanting to stay and those wanting to leave. I was still lost inside myself when one of the other girls my age took me under her wing. She was leaving the past behind, and she was taking me with her.

Her name was Karen Robinson. She was the daughter of our first farmer, Christopher Robinson. He was the one chosen to run the town when my mother died. He was wise but spoke little. The people made him a noble. His wife died not long after my mom disappeared. She was shot by a poisoned arrow and suffered from delusions. The poor woman became a recluse. She stopped eating and withered away. I always admired the way Mr. Robinson dealt with the loss, unafraid to cry for her, but glad she finally had peace. He was forced to marry another soon after to help take care of Karen. Her step-mother helped take care of me as well. Karen and I weren't friends exactly. I was being groomed to run the town while Karen was being taught the duties of being a good wife. She was to be married right after her 16^th birthday. Our society encouraged arranged marriages. Most women were treated a step above livestock, but in my life up to that point, I had not thought of how different I was from the rest of the townswomen. It was extraordinary, when I thought of all of this much later, that Karen befriended me and took care of me when I could not take care of myself.

We finally broke camp after decisions and provisions had been made. 5 of the survivors were staying to try and rebuild the town. It was decided not to build over the ruins but to move the town into the forest beside our former home. The rest of us, Christopher Smith, Jennifer Williams, Steven Harris, Karen Robinson and myself, were setting sail after careful preparation to find a new home. We said tearful goodbyes, and put the past at our backs, sailing into the sunset.

Months of wandering, fishing, searching, healing, and sailing passed. Everywhere we stopped just didn't seem right. Some places were strikingly similar to home. We couldn't even stay for an hour before wanting to continue the search. Some lands were much too flat with nothing to see. Desert, snow, flat lands, mountains... Nothing seemed like what we needed to start over. Then one day, we anchored near a beach. I went ashore first. I always wanted the possibly dangerous duties. The beach was beautiful with pristine sand, seemingly untouched by any being. Beyond the beach there were some small hills that seemed to guard and boarder the land. Then, I laid eyes on one of the most beautiful forests I had ever seen. Oak and birch grew side by side. A natural, life giving, freshwater lake gleamed through the trees. It seemed like paradise. It felt like the land was welcoming me home. I pushed the emotions aside and looked for dangers. There were several steep drops and caverns filled with the dangers the unknown inevitably brings. Wild pigs, cows and chickens could be seen in the forest. There were wild dogs as well, but they seemed friendly enough. Hope. This land gave me hope. After doing a thorough sweep of the area, I went back to the ship. I didn't know what to tell the others. How could I describe the hope and promise of a future and all the unknown and known dangers? I faced them, and words failed me. Somehow, they knew. They could see it in my face that something was different about this place, that some of my former self was awakening.

Karen, Steven, Jennifer and I went ashore with the first load of our belongings. Christopher stayed on the ship to organize the rest of the possessions and to guard the boat. As soon as they got a better look at the lay of the land, Karen, Steven and Jennifer felt what I had felt. This was home and hope. We unloaded our supplies and began the work of turning this wondrous place into a town of our own. After several weeks, it began to take shape. Other travelers came and decided to stay in our town as well. The hope that sparked inside of me when we arrived continued to grow as I searched for my place among the people. My story started with tragedy, but hope and home have saved me. This is home.

~Fiona