Galactic Axia Adventure 1: Escape to Destiny (2 page)

The relief Delmar felt when he heard his brother leave in the truck was palatable. Nevertheless, he did not dare slack up on the chores. All too soon, Dorn would return and find something Delmar had missed. It was almost a pattern etched in stone.

Taking only a couple of minutes to consume some of his hidden rations, Delmar got back to trying to clean up the yard around the tired farmhouse. He saw repairs and chores everywhere begging for attention, but out of survival, he concentrated on the ones Dorn had specified. He would work the others into his routine as he got a chance, assuming Dorn would allow the time, which was doubtful.

Delmar took what trash was burnable and started the burn pile. His lips tightened when he spotted the corner of a burned book near the edge. Painful memories flooded back of the day Dorn had taken the correspondence material the school had sent and threw them onto the burn pile. He always demanding more work out of Delmar and this was yet another way to enforce it. The only consolation had been when the school authorities had shown up unexpectedly and found the burnt remains.

After that Dorn had not touched the material that arrived regularly by the postal carrier. Unfortunately, Delmar hardly had time to touch them either. Dorn kept him so busy that he had almost no time to study and complete the work. It ended up piling up in a corner of Delmar’s room, another heap in a house full of heaps.

Delmar had just finished turning their few animals out when he discovered that Dorn had returned home. Stepping into the house, Delmar found his older brother in another of his signature rages. Obviously, Dorn’s efforts had not gone as well as he expected. That meant trouble.
Uh oh!
Delmar thought when he realized that Dorn had already started drinking again. At the same moment, Dorn spotted his younger brother which was all the provocation he needed.

With an almost instinctive dodge, Delmar avoided the thrown bottle as it smashed against the doorframe.
I’ll probably have to clean that up as well!
he sighed. He watched his older brother drunkenly grab for another projectile. In spite of his inebriation, Dorn spared the full bottles and grabbed an empty to chuck at his brother.

“Get your worthless hide out to the barn!” Dorn screamed and made ready to throw again. Delmar wisely slipped out the door, hearing the next bottle break against it a moment later.

Stepping around the garbage his brother had thrown in the general direction of the empty garbage can, Delmar scrambled across the side yard toward the tired barn beyond. Behind him, Delmar could hear the muttered curses as his brother settled down to drink more of the cheap alcoholic beverage in which he always seemed to be immersed. With luck, he would find Dorn passed out on the floor the next time he dared venture into the house.

Delmar mentally ignored all but the most pressing repairs the dilapidated barn begged for. There was simply too much to do, and being the only worker (since his brother considered himself management) Delmar had to be selective with his endeavors. Not that they would ever come to the attention of his brother.

That brought him back to the disgusting task now facing him; that of shoveling out the manure and chicken droppings. He would prefer to use the scoop on the tractor. His long-dead father had designed things that way. But the money needed to return the tractor to serviceability went to more important things, like Dorn’s habits.

So rigging up a crude facemask against the stench, Delmar pulled on a pair of old patched work boots and waded into the task.
At least Dorn won’t bother me here!
he thought as he started forking the first layer of waste into a wheelbarrow. Neglect was actually helping him now. Over time, most of the ammonia had leeched out. And doing the monotonous task allowed Delmar to think on things…many things.

To Delmar’s surprise he heard Dorn storm out to the truck and leave in a shower of gravel and dirt.
Wonder what he’s up to now?
he thought while he forked manure into the wheelbarrow. Whatever it is, Delmar was sure he would find out soon enough. Bending to the task at hand, the youth concentrated on getting the odorous chore finished.

Just as he was dumping the last load of manure into the silage/compost pit, Dorn pulled back into the driveway. Hoping his brother would just go inside and drink himself into a stupor, Delmar started washing down the stall area with buckets of soapy water. Using a hose would have been preferable but it had split months ago and Dorn did not deem it necessary to replace.

In the midst of sloshing another bucket into the back of the stalls, Delmar heard his brother yell from the barn entrance. “Get out here!”

Without a word, Delmar set the bucket down and approached the barn entrance. He noticed that Dorn was avoiding the mud around the main barn door. Getting dirty was not part of his management style. That’s what little brothers were for. Delmar stopped and waited just beyond Dorn’s reach.

“Get yourself cleaned up,” Dorn ordered. “You got a job. You start working down at the Hassel farm in an hour.”

Without another word, Dorn turned and stormed off into the house. Delmar went to a side shed and stripped off his filthy outerwear and headed into the house via the door farthest from where Dorn was likely to be. The move paid off since the only evidence Delmar heard of his brother was the usual sounds of his drinking in the front room.

In short order, Delmar headed down the road toward the Hassel farm. He didn’t consider asking Dorn to give him a lift in the truck. It was better to be alone on the road than trapped in a vehicle with his angry, drunken brother. Besides, the fuel in the tank had more important uses, such as driving Dorn to see his friends, or going to buy more supplies that he needed to quiet his inner demons.

Arriving at the Hassel farm, Delmar stepped onto the porch and knocked on the front doorframe. He had no idea what the Hassels were like. He only knew of them in passing as a nice old couple with a farm down the valley. He did note with approval that the place was well maintained. Some heavier work obviously needed doing and Delmar suspected that was why he was here.

The door opened to reveal a pleasant-faced elderly woman in work clothes. “You must be Delmar,” she said as she opened the screen door and invited the youth inside. As Delmar stepped into the simple but clean farmhouse, an older man appeared from beyond the front room. His face reflected both strength and humor. Delmar decided right then that he was going to like this job.

“Glad to meet you, Delmar,” the man said, taking Delmar’s hand in his own. “I’m Robert Hassel and this is my wife, Agnes.”

“I’m pleased to meet both of you,” Delmar said formally.

“Come on back to the kitchen,” Agnes said as she led the way. “We’re about to sit down to lunch.”

“Join us,” Robert said. He motioned for Delmar to go ahead of him.

“I better not,” Delmar protested, remembering his brother. “If Dorn…”

“We won’t tell if you won’t,” Robert said with a wink.

“You look as if you could use some chow,” Agnes added from where she was setting the last of what appeared to be a feast on the table. Delmar looked up into Robert’s eyes and detected that the man probably suspected what kind of person Dorn was. More importantly, Delmar saw in that look that he was safe here.

“I guess its ok,” Delmar said awkwardly. “If it doesn’t keep me from getting the job done.”

“Don’t you worry about that,” Agnes said from where Robert helped her be seated. Following his hosts, Delmar waited until Robert was seated before taking the extra chair at the table. He could not remember the last time he had eaten a home cooked meal other than the hash he cooked for Dorn. Actually, he could, but he avoided thinking about his past that was gone forever.

The mealtime flew by too fast for the youth who felt a bit awkward around this couple. He found himself feasting, not only on the good food but also on the good company of this gentle couple, which was quite a difference from what normally happened at the Eagleman house. Delmar relaxed and only occasionally detected that the couple was slowing feeling him out. Instinctively, he grew defensive and gave evasive answers to any queries about his home life.

The meal finished, Robert led Delmar out to the barn. In contrast to the barn on the Eagleman farm, this one was well kept and neat. By comparison, the boy could not see anything in immediate need of repair. Mr. Hassel quickly disabused him of that notion. Together they started on what Mr. Hassel called preventative maintenance.

By the time the afternoon light began to fail, Delmar had worked up a good sweat. It was obvious to Robert the boy was used to hard work, but it bothered him that Delmar showed a hidden fearfulness concerning any task they set out to do. Robert made a mental note to quietly check into what was going on down at the Eagleman farm.

Agnes appeared at the barn door. “You two ever going to quit? I’ve almost got supper ready.”

The mention of mealtime startled Delmar. He knew he had to prepare the evening meal for Dorn or he would receive a beating for his neglect.

“Almost done, honey,” Robert said as he straightened up from where they had been working on the hay conveyor. “Ready, Delmar?” he up to where Delmar was greasing and tightening the top sprocket assembly.

“Uh… I better not,” Delmar said defensively. “I’ve got to get back home. My brother will be expecting his dinner.” Agnes raised an eyebrow at her husband but said nothing.

“Good ‘nuff then,” Mr. Hassel said. “We’ll finish this tomorrow. What time can you be here?”

“What time do you want me here, sir?” Delmar asked back as he climbed down from the loft.

“Soon as you finish your chores?” Robert asked, suspecting that there was more to this than feeding a few animals.

“I think I can be here by ten, sir,” Delmar answered. “But I’ll have to clear it with my brother.”

“I’ll take care of that.” Delmar’s face blanched but he said nothing. “You go clean up and I’ll give you a ride home. No need for you to be late.”

“I’ll be fine, sir.”

Before either Robert or Agnes could say more, the youth scooted off to the mudroom to clean up. The couple looked at each other knowingly. Agnes headed back to the farmhouse while Robert started buttoning things up for the night. Before he got back, Robert saw Delmar heading up the country road toward the Eagleman farm further up the valley.
I better go make that call,
Robert thought as he headed for the house. To Delmar’s surprise, Dorn was in a halfway good mood when he got home.

Almost as soon as he stepped through the door, Dorn spoke up. “I got a call from that old farmer down the road.”

Delmar tried to hold his fear in check but it must have shown on his face. Dorn roared in laughter. Delmar tried to ignore him and started for the kitchen to make dinner. “Forget that! I’m going out. I ain’t puttin’ up with your slop tonight!”

Delmar felt relief. When Dorn got up to leave, he yelled back over his shoulder, “I want you up early tomorrow so you can get your chores done. That old fool wants you down there by nine so you better not be late!”

Dorn sped out of the driveway for another night of drinking and mischief with his friends. In the meantime, Delmar went through the motions of making himself something to eat.
Maybe I can get some study time in,
he thought while he warmed a can of soup. He had already fallen terribly behind and the hope of earning a graduation certificate seemed more elusive than ever. But before he’d even finished eating, Delmar slipped into an exhausted sleep. The last thought he had was wondering what new trouble this change in Dorn could mean.

Chapter Two

Dawn arrived much too soon at the Eagleman farm. Delmar pried himself up from the table where he had fallen asleep the night before and managed to drag himself to his room. Even the noisy arrival of Dorn from wherever he’d gone had not penetrated his exhaustion.

The house was still dark. Quietly dressing, Delmar slipped back down to the kitchen where he whipped up some hash for Dorn. He left it covered in the heavy pan so it would retain its heat until his passed-out brother could arouse from his drunken slumber. Taking his portion, Delmar slipped out the back door and ambled slowly to the barn. At least here, he could eat in peace. It also gave him time to think.

Delmar regretted that he hadn’t managed to get any of his correspondence work done. He knew that if completed materials weren’t submitted in a timely manner, the school would eventually terminate his enrollment. He knew this could seriously limit any hope he had of getting out of here. Resolving to try harder, Delmar finished his plate of hash and washed it down with a dipper of cool water.

Further thought was interrupted by a roar and crash from the house.
He’s up,
Delmar thought. Irreverently, he hoped his brother would start drinking again so he would pass out. Then he would have some peace while he got the necessary chores out of the way.

Evidently, his prayers were heard as the noise soon ceased.
I wish he’d stay that way!
Delmar thought uncharitably. As quickly as he could, he turned the animals out and put what feed they had left out as well. He hoped the money earned from his new job with the Hassels would go to buy more feed, but he had his doubts. Delmar finished his chores and then headed down the road to the Hassel farm.

Surprised to find Delmar at their door early, Agnes led him back to the kitchen where she and Robert had been eating breakfast.

“Breakfast is ready,” Robert said. Agnes poured the youth a cup of coffee from the pot on the stove.

“No thank you,” Delmar said. “I’ve already eaten.”

Agnes caught the hungry look in his eyes.
He may have eaten but it wasn’t much.
Without a word, she whipped up another stack of pancakes and set the steaming plate down in front of the boy. Delmar reddened with embarrassment.

“Eat up, son,” Robert said good-naturedly. “Don’t want good food going to waste.”

Delmar’s gut rumbled. Sheepishly, he started on the food. Agnes sat back down and silently slid the butter and syrup over as a suggestion. Delmar took the hint and generously spread the condiments on his tall stack of hot cakes. The look of delight and satisfaction was all the Hassels needed to get another glimpse into Delmar’s home life.