Like always, Lloyd was out and about with his small patch of land. He needed more protection for his crops. Fortunately, because of the cold, the trees were weakened and brittle. He grabbed his one and only axe to do the job. He chopped off a lot of branches, dumped them in a wheelbarrow, and whittled them into wood chips by hand. A tedious process but needed.
After that, he cleared the remaining debris and raked the soil into a circular patch. Kneeling down, he dug small holes with his hands, placing kale seeds one by one before covering them. Once finished, he spread the wood chips across the soil to protect the roots and to insulate the soil.
The whole process took so, so many hours and was incredibly boring.
But he had to do it.
The sun dipped from early morning to a dark afternoon. Lloyd was cleaning up, but a voice cut through the cold.
"Oi! Lloyd!"
Lloyd turned stiffly.
"Auntie Yang!" His pale lips curved into a rare smile.
The woman approaching was bundled up in a thick parka. She was one of the few people who still cared about Lloyd. After his parents deaths, Auntie Yang and her husband had done more than anyone else, even when they themselves had so little. They had given food, advice, and once, a parenting book that had helped an eighteen year-old boy raise his sister without messing up too much. Lloyd jogged over, worry etching lines into his pale face.
"Auntie Yang, what are you doing out here? It's freezing. Go back inside."
"Hiyah, a kid telling me what to do. Take care of yourself first." She sighed, shaking her head with a small grin. Then, she shoved a plastic bag into his hands. It wreaked of blood and red liquid was seeping out, staining his hands.
Lloyd's brows furrowed as he peeked inside. There was pork belly, pig kidneys, and even scraps perfect for rendering lard.
His eyes widened.
"Auntie Yang, where did you get this? You're not raising pigs."
"Boars," she said proudly. "Your uncle caught one in the forest. You should go too when you have time. It's dangerous, but meat is meat."
Lloyd scrunched his face in disgust at the scent of blood before changing to a grateful smile. He bowed deeply, his gratitude apparent.
"I'll make good use of it. Thank you."
He twisted his body to walk away, but Auntie Yang caught his arm.
"Lloyd, your eye bags are too deep. Didn't I remind you to take your pills?" she asked with genuine worry.
Lloyd flinched. For personal reasons, he refused to take them, despite everyone else in his village frequently eating pills.
"O-Only sometimes. I'm still struggling after… you know," he mumbled.
Auntie Yang smiled. "I'm just looking out for you. We all are, you know?" she reassured.
"...Yeah."
He carried the meat back, storing it carefully in the rattling fridge that was barely hanging on. His family once owned pigs as well, but after they died, Lloyd had no choice but to murder them in the pig pen, with the lack of resources and food fueling his decision. The blood and screams of despair still kept him up at night…
Regardless, he returned to the fields. Just imagining his sister's delight at actual food made him feel warm.
…
Night fell quickly in the countryside. Lloyd went inside his house shivering, and the ache in his hands and feet was terrible. The fireplace was almost out, so he threw a few pieces of wood into it to keep it running. Despite being tired as hell, he still worked in the kitchen skillfully. The scraps became rendered lard. The kidneys were cleaned carefully, no room for gamey smells, and stir-fried with ginger, soy sauce, and what little cabbage was left.
"Brother…" A sleepy voice called out from behind. Nora waddled out, rubbing her eyes. Her nose twitched. "Something smells good."
Lloyd immediately turned to her. "Pork tonight. Auntie Yang gave us some."
Her eyes lit up instantly.
"Meat?!"
He laughed at her excitement but shooed her away from the fire.
"Sit down. I'll be done in a minute."
The meal was simple in most homes, but it was special for them. Lloyd never imagined that getting enough food would actual be a struggle in his life. Nora dug in with the glee only a child can, and Lloyd ate quietly, his stomach feeling somewhat full after two days of fasting.
After dinner, Nora was tucked into bed under a mountain of blankets, her sleepy smile the only light in the cold room. Lloyd stayed for a moment, watching her breathe, before getting into his own bed.
Insomnia kept him up, whether from the chill or from stress. He rolled around in bed like always before sleep finally took him.
Once again, he saw her. But instead of lighthearted fragments, he was plunged into a familiar-looking forest, and in that forest, he saw his dream girl barely conscious.
Then… she looked straight at him. A look that felt too realistic in his dreamt setting. Her lips were turning purple as two words escaped.
Save me.