Trying to balance the farm too was difficult. I was having trouble keeping up. The garden  had become overrun by weeds. 

I would come after work and be so tired  I was barely concious

I didn’t really understand why I was so tired. I mean, yes, I worked hard, but I had worked my way through University in the regular world. I had survived that so why couldn’t I survive this? Then I found out why. I had a child on the way.

I had mixed feelings about the pregnancy. On one had, I liked the idea of having a second rememberance of George, but on the other hand, how would I balance two children, when I couldn’t even balance one? I realized that I couldn’t. I had to get help, so I found the number of the matchmaker and called.  

I gave her what money I had left from the startup funds that Colony had given and hoped for the best. The next day I was set up with Waylan. Okay, he was no George, but this wasn’t about true love. This was about my kids. He was into learning like me so he would probably make a good farmer. And, most importantly, he was not scared off my the fact that I had a four year old and a baby on the way. Yes, I decided, he would do. I would try to make it work. On our first date I wasted no time in using my…feminine charms. It worked, because soon we were talking everyday. Still, it was new to me, being the pursuer. George had been the one who had purused me. From high school, through college, and back to our hometown. But what had to be done had to be done.My pregnancy was terribly rough. I amost fainted from exhuastion on more than one occasion. In fact, when my son turned five, I was passed out in bed.

I hesitated as we went through the front doors of the school.

“Are you okay?” Anna asked me.

I shrugged, not answering.

“Come on, it’s just the first day of a new school, not a big deal.”

“Yeah, I know…”

“You moved around enough, you should be used to it.”

“Some things you don’t get used to,” I said.

The bell rang and we went to our class. There weren’t many students yet, so only two actual classrooms. Everyone in my class knew who I was. They either avoided eye contact or just openly stared. Anna didn’t seem to care about the attention at all. I, other hand, hated it. And I was going to be heir? I hoped Uncle Kevin knew what he was doing.

At lunch I was going to go hide in a corner table but Anna quickly nudged me and nodded towards a girl sitting alone.

“Over there,” She said, “That girl looks nice.”

It was true that the girl did look just as nervous as me. I let Anna lead us over and took a seat. The girl looked up and smiled. She didn’t seem intimiated that we were the governor’s kids; just relieved that someone had actualy sat with her. I learned that her name was Phebe and her dad was also in the Government. So many not all the kids were as bad as the ones I had first met. After school I was about to immediately duck and run, but Anna grabbed my arm and dragged me down the hall.“What are you doing?” I asked.“Finding Phebe. Come on.”“But, why?” I tried to pull away. She wouldn’t let me.“Simple. You need a friend, and she needs a friend.”

Uncle Kevin turned and spoke to me. “I have something to talk to you about Anna.”

I hesitated. “Okay…” Was I in trouble?

“It’s about school.The headmaster of the Academy is coming tomorrow. We’re trying to get you admitted.”“The Academy?” I asked.

I was confused. “We’re the Governor’s children and we don’t go to the Academy automatically?”

Uncle Kevin answered. “This is an equal colony. Wolf is accepted because he is the heir so needs an exclusive education, but you need to be approved.”“Heir?” I asked. I felt stupid asking about stuff they obviously already knew.“The Governership is set up as a Monarchy,” Uncle Kevin explained.

So, yes, my sister was too prissy to garden, my father too busy, and my brother…well, just too lazy basically. Which left me. So I broke out the fertilizer and got started.

C.J. was happy to watch me from her patio chair by the pool and Woalfe hovered nearby giving me tips.

By the time I actually got into the real planting I was ready to dig the hoe into them. They must have sensed my mood though, as they quickly left me alone. When I was finally alone in the garden I actually found the work relaxing. It was quiet and monotonous, so I could just go on autopilot and let my mind wonder. It was nice break, and as the days went by I began to seek out the solitude of the garden more and more. C.J. and my father who too busy to notice my withdrawl, but Woalfe was not so unobservant.

“You need to get out and explore the colony,” he told me one afternoon, “Meet a new girl. Stop pineing.”

“I’m not pineing, “ I said.

“Yeah you are. Come on – we’re going, now!”

“But-”

“No buts!” He grabbed my arm and dragged me towards our car. I didn’t bother fighting him. I knew better than to argue with my brother when he had an idea and was convinced he was right. So we ended up cruising the colony looking for girls. We checked out every building, and, nothing. I was ready to go back home but Woalfe insisted on going to the Sirens Nightclub. I thought it would be pointless, but went along anway.

And once there, I did see a girl I liked.

I was nervous though about going up to talk to her.

“Just go up and whistle,” Woalfe said.

“Whistle at her!?”

“Yeah! Look, bro, you know video games – I know girls. Now go!”

With a sigh and a knot in my stomach I followed my little brother’s advice. The girl just laughed and playfully went alone with it. I felt like an idiot, but it had worked.

We talked for a bit and I managed to get her number.

“See?” Woalfe said when we were driving home, “You met a new girl. Wedding bells are in the future.”

I stared down at the phone number, “I don’t know Woalfe…she’s nice and all, but.. there’s just something missing.”

“What could be missing?” Woalfe asked, “She’s cute, funny, semi intelligent. What more do you want?”

I shrugged, “I don’t know. That something that puts it over the edge.”

Woalfe gave me a confused look and I didn’t try to explain. Woalfe was just out of college, girls and dating for him were still all about fun. I, though, was passed that stage. I wanted to settle down and have a family.

I would have forgotten about the phone number all together if Woalfe hadn’t bugged me so much about it all week. So, finally, just to appease him I phoned her and asked her out. She refused. I didn’t try to change her mind. That something extra just wasn’t there. So I retreated back to my garden

Woalfe came again one afternoon. “Guess what I found!” He said.

I eyed him, suspicious, “What?”

“There’s a matchmaker in town!”

“And…”

“And I called her! She’ll be in an hour.”

I gave an exasperated sigh, “Woalfe!”

“Just try her. Come on, what can it hurt?”

“Fine!”

So I met the lady and told her about myself and what I was looking for.

She said she knew of the perfect match and we were made for each other. I aactually grew a little hopeful and gave her the money she asked for. The date was set for the next day….and turned out to my father’s age!

I was disgusted and ended the date and immediately fired the matchmaker. Woalfe was smart enough to avoid me for the rest of the day and, instead of just annoying me, he annoyed the whole house – by setting the kitchen on fire!

After the flames were put out, Woalfe decided it was best to just stay hidden in his room. I knew Woalfe didn‘t mean to cause trouble – he just had a knack for finding it. I went upstairs to talk to him.

“hey bro” I greeted, going into his room, “You didn’t get burned did you?”

“No. Thanks. Look, I’m sorry about that matchmaker and all. I really thought it would work.”

“Woalfe, I know you just care and I appreciate it, but I’ll find a girl in my own time.”

“It’s just…”

“Just what little brother?”

“Xaiden, would have come to the Colony if it weren’t for me and C.J.?”

I looked at my brother. Sometimes he still seemed so young. “Is that what this is about?” I asked, “You feel guilty for me leaving my girlfriend?”

“Well, is it our fault?”

I thought about the answer. I knew lieing wouldn’t do any good with Woalfe. He always seemed to know when I was lieing. I finally found the truth. “You and C.J. and Dad – you’re more important than any girl. Honest. Okay?”

“Okay.”

“Now, promise me – no more schemes to get me married! I don’t think I can take anymore!”

Woalfe laughed, “Fine, I promise. As long as you promise not to spend all of your time in the garden.”

I grinned, “okay, it’s a deal.”

We shook on it. Then we went downstairs together to clean up the remains of our kitchen.

“They need to grow food there too. And my dad is one of the only ones who can still grow food.”

“I guess. So what are you going to do there, Farm? My dad is administrator of education!”

“My dad is the assistant to the environment administrator….”

 ”Assistant? Thats, um, great…look, I’ve got to go Dec.”

“I’ll see you at Harmony then?”

 ”Sure, I guess. Bye Declan.”

******************

In Harmony.

Because of C.J’s reaction to my father being included in the colony, I worried about how we were going to fit in with the other colonists. Would we be looked down on and judged for being farmers? So I was relieved when a group of neighbours immediately arrived to welcome us.

Even the Govenor showed up to welcome us.

In amongst the group of people swarming our our property was one girl about my age. I didn’t notice her right away, as she stood out of the crowd, just looking around at everything. She suddenly spotted our pond and exclaimed, “You guys have a real pond!”

I looked at her, then at the pond. “It’s not as big as our old one,” I said. The truth was, I was disappointed  that the house we had been assigned was not the Colony’s main farm. We hadn’t even been assigned a greenhouse or fruit trees. Dad had tried to cheer me up, explaining that it was just because of his age and that it was wiser to have someone younger looking after the main farm. I still felt…I don’t know, just insulted. Like we weren’t good enough for the main farm. I mean, who was this Kadia person anyway? I had never heard of her.

The girl walked over to me and started talking. I found out that her name was Trina.

“You had an actual pond in your old home?” She asked, staring at me with these wide eyes. I sometimes forgot that owning any sort of nature was a big deal.

“Do you want to try fishing?” I asked her.

She clapped her hands and laughed, “Yes!” I couldn’t stop myself from smiling in return. I went  and got the poles and taught Trina how to cast. It was fun, teaching a girl about my farm skills. C.J had never had any interest in them. When I had Trina set up, I cast my own line into the water. In no time we both had a bite. I reeled in my fish and just stared at it. It was healthy and shiney and had no deformities. As I stared at it, I forgot all about not being assigned the main farm.

Our neighbours stayed well into the evening before finally heading back to their own homes. When they had left, my father lite a fire and sat down next to me in the living room.

“What do you think of your new home so far?” He asked me

“Everyone seems really nice,” I said, “And you should sete the trout I caught! It was sooo cool!”

He smiled, “So, the move is still good? Even though we didn’t get the main farm?”

“Yeah, Dad, it’s okay. The move is good” I meant it. The move was good. I believed things were going to work out good in Harmony.

The next day when I had gotten back from exploring the colony with Trina, my father was out working in our small garden plot

He saw me come through the gate and smiled, “I wanted to test out these fresh soils. See how things grow.”

“Cool, can I help?” I asked.

“I was hoping you would ask. My old back doesn’t hold up as well as it used to.”

I grabbed some of the fertilizer we had been assigned and got to work with dad.

“So…you seem to be hitting it off with Trina,” My father said as we worked together.

I blushed, “Yeah, she’s nice. Do you know she asked me how to plant seeds? She didn’t even know how.” I laughed.

My father eyed me and then asked, “Have you had a chance to talk to C.J. yet?”

“Um, not, not yet.”

“Well you’ll have time,” my father said, “It’s good to get to know the other colonists.”

“Yeah.” I didn’t tell him about the converstaion C.J. and I had had before we both left for Harmoy. Truth was, I was still upset about it. And if C.J cared about me so much, why hadn’t she tried to get in touch with me? Maybe she didn’t want to be associated with a family that were just ‘farmers.’

Dad caught the frown on my face, “Is something wrong Declan?”

“No dad, everything is good,” I lied and then changed the subject, “This place is amazing, isn’t it?”

My dad didn’t push me and let me change the subject. We continued with the garden, talking about the things we had seen and nothing important.

*********

That night, before bed I stared at the telephone on my desk and thought of C.J. All I had to do was pick it up and dial her number. I went to it, and placed my hand on the reciever. I couldn’t though, get myself to dial the number.

“Dad?”

“Yes.” There was a heaviness in his voice

“Is there something wrong?” I asked.

“Everything is okay Declan.”

I could tell he was lieing. “Is it the farm?” I pressed. Business hadn’t been good for the last year. The farm just wasn’t producing the way it used to. No farm was. There were just too many pollutants in the ground now, and with each year it was getting worse. Pretty soon the only food that would grow would be in scientists greenhouses. “Are we going to lose the farm?” I asked.

My dad was quiet at first, just fishing. Then he looked over at me and said, “You’re sixteen now, aren’t you.”

“Going on seventeen”

He reeled in his line, “Okay. You’re old enough to talk about this. Sit down.”

I sat down across from him on the banks of our pond.

“What’s wrong?” I asked.

“I am one of the last true farmers left in this country,” he said.

“I know Dad.”

“One of the rare people who can still make the ground produce crop,” he continued

“Yeah Dad.” I always had to have patience when talking with my father. He would get to his point in a very round about way.

“I’ve been given an offer Declan” My dad finally explained, “No, actually, we’ve been give an offer.”

“You mean someone wants to buy the farm?”I asked.

He shook his head, and then asked if I knew anything about the Harmony Colony project.

“Sure Dad,” I said, “Everyone does.”

My Dad leaned back and looked up at the stars. He did that when he was going to ask me something but didn’t know how to word it. I quietly waited

Finally my father spoke again. “If you had the chance – and tell me the truth – if you had the chance to go to the colony, would you want to?”

I opened my mouth but dad quickly cut me off, saying, “Think about it Declan. Your answer is important.”

I closed my mouth then and thought about it. It would mean leaving our farm – the farm we had run together since I was born. But, really, how much longer would we be able to keep the farm running? Plants just wouldn’t grow naturally anymore. Maybe they would in Harmony.

“Yeah,” I finally said, “I think I would. I mean, if you went too. I wouldn’t want to go alone.”

“Are you sure Delcan? Even if it meant leaving C.J?”

I thought of my girlfriend, the Jalen’s sixteen year old daughter. We had been together for about a year now, but, honestly I didn’t know how much longer we would continue. We were just very different. C.J had been spoiled from the day she was born, whereas I‘ve had to work for everything.

“Yes,” I said, “Even then.”

My father sat back up, “I asked you that question for a reason. I have been given the offer to go. They need someone who knows about farming. I am supposed to work with the envirnoment advisor…kadia someone.”

“You mean…we can actually go?” I asked.

“Only if you want to Declan. It’s not me that’s affected.”

“I…I think it’s for the best Dad. We can’t keep this farm running much longer.”

“Then we go,” My dad said, and that was the end of the conversation. He stood up then, picked his pole back up and cast out in the water. As I watched the lure plunk into the water I realized that this might be the last time we got to fish in our pond. I suddenly felt very homesick, and I knew it would get worse before it got better.

The links below are sorted by round and, also, in the order that they are mostly best meant to be read it.

 **************

Colony Backstory:  

(It is recommended you read this first since it adds needed background information for the families.)

**********
Prolouges:

“The Phone Call”

“The News” – Wolf Jordan

“Goodbye” – Anna Lisa Jordan

“A future” – Kadia CooperSmith

“Dreams do come true” – Xaiden Jalen

“Things Change.”  – Declan Laird – Coming soon

 *******************

Round One

“Rude Awakening” – Wolf Jordan

“Welcome home” – Anna Lisa Jordan

“Going on Alone” – Kadia CooperSmith

Xaiden jalen – Coming soon

Declan Laird – “The new girl”

 George had to work late that night but called to tell me he would be late so I wasn’t worried when it was midnight and he still hadn‘t showed. And then came a knock on the door; a knock that changed everything. It was the police chief. Something had happened. There was a car bomb…I didn’t hear the rest, I was on my knees sobbing. One minute I had everything and the next I was a single mother. My college sweetheart – my love – my life, was gone.

The chief tried to say something – I couldn’t listen. I was sick, scared, dizzy. I ran upstairs and promptly hurled into the toilet. I sat there, leaning my head against the cold rim. I was alone. Me and Xaviar. Alone.

I could hear Xaviar waking up in the room.  I sat back.  I had to get it together.  For his sake.  I wiped my mouth, threw water on my face, went out and held Xaviar.

“Daddy?” He asked. I swallowed and kept myself together, “Daddy is going to be home late tonight honey. It’s just us two tonight, okay?”

“We are!” Uncle Kevin laughed

“But we don’t know anything about gardening.”

“We’ll learn, the same as all the other Colonists. It’s important not to think that we’re better than anyone else here.”

“Yeah, we jut rule them,” I laughed.

“Govern them,” Uncle Kevin said, serious.

“Sorry Uncle Kevin, I was just kidding. You’re probably right, we’ll learn. I mean, how hard can it be?”

“Now there’s the positive attitude I’ve always admired!”

He gave me a playful punch in the arm, and then said, “Now why don’t you go take off and explore the colony – meet the other kids!”

“Sure Uncle Kevin. Be back later.”

I explored the colony for a good hour on my own. It was well designed I had to admit. It was done up to look like how earth society had been before WWIII. The houses were all clean and white with gardens and fences, and the stores looked so fresh. There were no broken windows or garbage or graffiti or anything. I was in a good frame of mind when I stepped into the bowling alley hoping to meet some other young ones my age. A girl a few years older than me spotted me right away.

“You’re the Governor’s kid,” she said, coming forward, “I recognize you from a newspaper photo.”

“Yeah I am. I’m Wolf.” I held out my hand.

She ignored it and glared at me. “The colony won’t work, you know,” She said, making it sound as if it was all my fault, “It’s a stupid idea. People aren’t equal. It’s not natural.” She advanced towards me. I stepped back, not knowing how to respond. “It’s a stupid idea!” She shouted at me, “Stupid! Utopia is a nothing dream – the garden of Eden is dead!”

Another teen came over then and I looked at him, hoping he would come to my defence. Instead, he sided with her. “She’s right you know,“ he said, “We were taken from good homes, and for what? For nothing! It’s all going to fall apart.”

I decided I needed to speak up. I took a breath and started to speak but the boy just looked away and stuck his fingers in his ears, “Don’t want to hear it kid! Go back with your other royalty brats!”

I didn’t know what to say so I just turned and ran out of the building. I walked back home, shaken. I hadn’t expected anyone to *not* want to live in the colony. I opened the door to my home with relief and started for my room.

“You’re home early pal,” Uncle Kevin called, “Everything okay?”

I hesitated a second, debating whether to tell him what happened. No, I decided, I wouldn’t. This was my problem, not my Uncle’s. It was only the kids who didn’t want to be here, not the adults. “I’m fine,” I said, “I’m just tired.” I continued to my room and lay down on my bed. I suddenly very much looked forward to Anna coming. Form the looks of it, I would need an ally. I just hoped she would be one.