May 21st, 3030
Itus laid on the bed in the guest bedroom, one arm tucked behind his head, the other holding up his necklace. He watched it spin idly, lost in thought, when a knock at the door jolted him back to reality.
"Lucas! It's time to get up! Breakfast is on the table. Eat fast and meet me outside," Cliff's voice called through the door.
Itus listened as Cliff's footsteps retreated down the hallway. With a sigh, he pulled himself out of bed and dressed in the clothes Anise had given him the day before.
In the kitchen, he found Anise already at the table. She smiled warmly as he took a seat across from her, filling his plate with the offered food.
"How did you sleep last night?" Anise asked kindly.
"Great! I don't think I've felt so well rested," Itus replied honestly.
"I'm glad to hear it."
"How are you doing?" Itus asked, feeling he should reciprocate the politeness.
"Well, thank you," Anise responded.
They lapsed into comfortable silence as they ate. When Anise finished, she began clearing the table. Itus moved to help, but she waved him off.
"Don't worry about cleaning up. I know you have a big day ahead of you. Go out and do whatever it is Cliff wants from you," she said.
Itus nodded gratefully and made his way to the back of the house. As he stepped outside, he spotted Cliff standing in the distance, gazing out at the fields beyond. The door closed behind Itus with a soft click, and Cliff turned at the sound.
"Lucas! Glad you could join me. How was breakfast?" Cliff asked.
"Good, thank you," Itus replied.
"Excellent. Come over here so we can get down to business," Cliff said, gesturing for Itus to follow him to the barn.
As they approached the large structure, Cliff opened the doors. "This before you is one of the largest MUD food producers you will ever see. Any MUD food you can think of, I guarantee we can make it."
Itus looked around in wonder at the various animals - sheep, cows, chickens, and more. The rich, earthy smell of the barn filled his nostrils.
"Today, you will be working with the chickens, so I hope you aren't afraid of birds," Cliff said, leading Itus to the chicken coop and handing him a bucket. "Your job is to clean out the coop, replace the bedding, collect the eggs, and feed the ladies. Simple enough, right?"
Itus nodded, though inwardly he felt a bit overwhelmed. I've never done anything like this before, he thought. But it can't be too difficult, right?
"Great, well, get to it! I'll check up on you later," Cliff said, leaving Itus alone in the barn.
The day passed in a blur of new experiences. Itus worked diligently, moving from task to task as Cliff instructed. By lunchtime, his muscles ached in ways he had never felt before, but there was also a sense of satisfaction in the physical work.
As they sat outside eating sandwiches Anise had prepared, Itus wanted to ask Cliff questions about life on the farm, but each time he opened his mouth to speak, he hesitated. Instead they ate in companionable silence. After lunch, Itus continued his work, going to each set of animals in the barn and completing similar tasks as he did with the chickens.
When evening fell, Cliff called an end to the day's work. "Lucas! You're done for the day. I was hoping you would be able to finish more than just the barn today, but I guess that means that you will be working extra hard tomorrow," he laughed. "Go get cleaned up, and dinner is on the table."
At dinner, Anise asked about his day, and Itus found himself opening up a bit, describing the new experiences with genuine enthusiasm. Cliff chimed in occasionally, and for a moment, Itus could almost imagine he belonged there. Is this what family dinners are usually like? he wondered.
As he lay in bed that night, his body sore but his mind buzzing, Itus reflected on the day. He wondered what challenges tomorrow would bring, but even with thoughts swirling in his head, he drifted off into a deep, restful sleep.
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