Chapter 246: Chris’s Pull-out Game is on Point

Chapter 246: Chris’s Pull-out Game is on Point

Christopher Sunflower hated to admit it when his dad was right.

But his dad was right.

He was currently on the familys Tri-Star Leashed Tractor 9000, clearing land for potatoes and beansand sunflowers.

They were now known as The Sunflower family by the other farmers. His dad had even commissioned a family crest and submitted it to the government for recordkeeping. And changed their legal names. That part stung a little bit.

Everything was a gimmick with that old man.

Still, the gimmick was working out. Theyd made bank off the second harvest after dads Sun-flour bread had caught on during the first, and theyd used the money to buy a tractor. Now they were fixing to have a harvest that dwarfed last years. Enough to afford a fleet of tractors.

Dad was planning on getting a cargo truck to cut out the middle man on transportation, taking out a loan to buy the vehicle and paying it back with the profit from their third harvest.

It still felt like gambling to Chris, but what did he know?

There was an entire four hundred acres dedicated to breeding new strains of sunflower. Dad wanted to breed a tougher, waxier shell, while retaining a large, fatty interior seed with a pleasing nutty flavor, which would hopefully store better. Years, instead of months.

If they succeeded he was hoping to sell it to the military as rations, and use it for the family during the winter. Dad said the government spent money like there was no tomorrow, and wanted to get in on that pie.

I swear to God, if I never have to eat another sunflower seed in place of a meal, Itll be too soon, Chris thought with an inward groan at the thought of another winter spent cracking open giant sunflowers.

Chris had found that he had unwillingly become something of an expert at growing giant sunflowers over the last three years.

He never pictured himself as a farmer, but there were certain benefits.

Hey, sunflower boy! Mary, the neighbors daughter said, her voice barely audible above the tractors huffing and puffing, and the crunching of dry soil.

Chriss head whipped around, spotting the young woman waving before he put the tractor in neutral and hopped off, sprinting up to their shared fence before leaning against the post as casually as possible.

Wassup? he said once he caught his breath.

Wow. That was fast, Mary said with a sly smile. The blonde girl had a quick wit, but today she seemed a little tired, with rings under her piercing blue eyes.

Chris felt himself blush from head to toe.

Well, you know, I was Chris shook himself. Whaddya want?

My family is putting up some bird netting on the trees this evening. We need some extra hands to go up and down the ladder. Daddys knees hurt and Moms too short, and none of my sisters are tall enough either, of course. She rolled her eyes before returning her pale blue gaze to him.

Would you like to spend the evening helping me put up nets?

The neighbors new orchard was at least an hour away, and it was HUGE. Evening would turn into night while they worked, and Chris would most likely have to spend the night in order to avoid walking home in the black of night.

Well, no, I probably wouldnt enjoy putting up nets, but hanging out with you would be worth it, he said with a shrug. So yeah, Ill go. Just gotta tell my dad where Ill be tonight.

Alright, Mary said, her face brightening at his honesty. I hope to see you there. Well have peach tea for dinner. She said as she turned away before stopping and glancing over her shoulder. Would you like to try my peaches?

Uh

Weve still got a few dried peaches I made last year. Moms telling me to get rid of them before they go bad to make some space for this years crop. Were gonna have a lot more this year. Im so sick of them.

Oh. Chris said, Sure.

Did she say that on purpose? Or am I

Okay then. Bye! Mary said leaving before Chris could drag his jaw off the ground.

Bye Chriss voice trailed off as he watched Mary leave, her sundress hugging her hips as she walked.

BRRR! Chris exhaled and shook his head violently, refocusing on what had to be done. If he wanted to visit Marys tonight, two things needed to happen: He needed to finish the days clearing post-haste, and he needed to talk to his dad.

Chris sprinted back to the tractor and used the Leashed demons elbow as a foothold to haul himself up into the seat. The cost of the demon-fused tractor was more than that of their entire flimsy pop-up house, but as the six-legged demon began pushing the massive lump of steel through the ground, ripping out stumps with impunity and clearing land for next years crops, Chris was finally starting to understand exactly how valuable it was to him.

I could clear that hill and set up a little log house right over there for the two of us with this thing

That idea had merit.

Chris refocused and did a circuit around the edges of the property, expanding the whole farm by a dozen feet in every direction before pulling off to the side when he spotted his dad standing by the road.

Hey dad, Im gonna be going to help Mary cover the peach trees this evening. Might not be back until morning. Loots of trees to cover.

Eh, Dad grunted, staring down at The Road.

A glimmer of dread began worming its way through the warm fuzzy anticipation of spending the evening with Mary.

Dad?

Dad?

HARV! Chris shouted.

Eh, what? Dad muttered, glancing up.

Im going to go help Mary put up netting tonight? Chris said, eyes narrowed as he studied his dad. The man seemed a bit more listless than usual. There was a bit of dust on his gilded family crest that he wore on his lapel. Polishing it had become a physical tic, so it was odd to see something had distracted his father so thoroughly from his dreams of Legacy.Updated from novelbIn.(c)om

Oh. Kay. Dad said, his gaze returning to the road.

What are you looking at? Chris finally asked.

The road.

Why?

I think its dying. Dad said.

Its a road, dad.

Its THE Road, son. Lifeblood of the empire. It looks a bit grayer than last month. When was the last time you felt it helping you move?

Umm last august, I guess? Chris said, recalling the trip to the city with a massive load of their product.

I hear from the family down the road that its stopped expanding. Dad said. Ever since Tyrannus made the trade deal with Chicago, actually. Its way above my station to judge, but I think Tyrannus broke a bargain that maybe he shouldntve.

That got Chriss attention.

Should we do something?

I dont know. Dad admitted. Ill figure something out. Im thinking about packing up the essentials in the truck in case we need to make a quick getaway, and maybe leaving about half this years profit in the bankjust in case we need liquidity.

Okay. Socan I go? Chris asked.

You finish your clearing? Dad asked, his attention finally fixed on Chris.

Yessir.

Dad glanced past him at the cleared land, full of toppled trees that Chris would be hauling to the lumber area tomorrow. Again, with the tractor.

Sure, have fun. Dad said, his gaze returning to the road.

Long story short: She got what she came for.

Later, Chris was walking her back to her home, the two of them holding hands until they got to the edge of the cleared land.

Put out the lantern, She whispered. Theyll see us coming.

Chris obliged and was pleased to discover that the moon had come out, and he could still barely see Marys face in the pale light.

I dont think Ill ever forget it, Chris thought as the two of them snuck up to the side of her home, where a ladder led up to the slanted roof just outside her bedroom window.

Was that there before dinner? Chris whispered. Did she have a backup plan this entire time? Was the lantern/nightgown combo on purpose?

Maybe, Mary said with a shrug, her expression innocent.

Are you smarter than me?

Maybe. Mary shrugged again. Youre pretty clever when Im not around, I hear.

You should take that as a complement. If we get married, promise you wont make me look like an idiot.

Maybe.

Chris rolled his eyes and peeked into her bedroom window.

Looks like the coast is clear. He whispered.

Mary peeked in and nodded before grabbing his face and planting a kiss right on his lips. It shouldntve been surprising given what they were doing only a few minutes ago, but it still made him go weak in the knees.

Ill see you tom-

Knock knock knock.

Through the window, they could make out the sound of knocking, and they both crouched down as the door opened.

Mary? his voice barely registered through the window.

Crap. Mary whispered.

Light spilled into the room as her father entered, peering down at the decoy lump of bedding in her bed.

To look at Marys bed in the corner of the room was to face away from the window, so they found the courage to raise their heads and look again, staring at the back of her dads head as he pulled a chair over and began apologizing to the decoy that he thought was his daughter.

Your mom told me what was going on, and Im sorry about ruining yourplans...for the night. I just didnt think you were that age yet. Hah. I guess I havent been paying attention. I shouldve waited until after he was gone to tell you off for lying. Im sorry about that.

If its any consolation, I think hes a great kid, Harold said, his body unfolding as fleshy pulsating limbs began to grow out of his shoulders, tipped with claws that shimmered black in the faint moonlight.

What the Chris mouthed as Mary gave a silent gasp.

Hard working, Responsibleand smart when youre not around. Harolds voice was the only thing that stayed the same as his ribs silently spread open, wiggling like grasping fingers, his still-talking head hanging on by a thread.

I can definitely see him joining our familyIm sorry about all this, Mary. Im just

Too hungry

The monstrosity lunged forward and sank its rib-teeth into the bed, sending fluff up into the air as it seized the empty roll of pillows in a predatory grip designed to pacify struggling prey.

Upon finding its prey missing, the monstrous creature gave a howl of rage and spun on its feet, locking its gaze on the two gawkers staring at it from the window.

Well, this is awkward, Marys Dads head said from where it hung off the creatures shoulder like an ornament.

I think its time to pull out now. Chris thought, reeling away from the window.

Chris heard the sound of shattering glass as he tumbled back off the roof, getting a glimpse of writhing flesh tendrils emerging out into the night air for a moment before he hit the ground.

There was a sickly POP as Chris hit the ground, and he lunged to his feet, surprised to find himself relatively whole.

Mary on the other hand, gave a faint gasp of pain, clutching an ankle that should not bend that way.

Fuck it! Chris yelled, snatching Mary up and bolting towards the path leading back home. To safety. To his dads Prawn gun.

Could he do a five-minute sprint home in the dead of night carrying a hundred and twenty pounds?

He didnt even need to think about it. It wasnt a matter of could. He had to.

Its catching up. Mary said less than a minute later, her voice emotionless in his ear as he struggled to put one foot in front of the other, every ounce of focus on the ground. One tree root could kill them both.

Set me down. Just set me down and go on, she said, her voice still devoid of life.

Chris gritted his teeth and ran harder, his lung on fire as the eerie howling grew closer and closer, breathing down his neck.

The fire spread from his lungs to his veins, then to his limbs as Chris kept running. His legs wouldnt take another step, and Chris bit his lip till it bled, ekeing out another, and another, never stopping, never slowing.

Still it kept gaining.

Faster. Faster. I gotta go FASTER.

There, at that moment, the universe itself seemed to take notice of him, and for an instant, he felt like there was nothing else besides him and Mary. The trail faded away, leaving nothing but a star-studded Abyss as the weight ofsomething began to bear down on him from every direction.

Then he was going FAST.

Chris blazed down the path. Suddenly he could see in the dark like it was midday, and Marys weight on his shoulder was no longer the burden it had been.

A heartbeat later, Chris came to a halt outside his home, heels digging long furrows into the ground as he desperately tried to halt their forward momentum.

Ugh, what happened? Mary asked from his shoulder.

II dont know, Chris murmured as he studied their surroundings. They were at his home, with a man-eating monster that had taken her fathers shape a few minutes down the trail.

Prawn gun, Chris thought, orienting on his homes front door, only to come to another screeching halt.

Moe was lying down on the front porch, and the family dog raised his head from his forelimbs when Chris arrived, cocking his head curiously.

There was the faintest glimmer of calculation in the way Moe watched him. The way the dog was positioned so perfectly to intercept them at the front door. Something about it just felt wrong.

Aw, nah. Fuck that. Chris muttered, taking a step back. Fool me once.

Moe bolted after him as Chris turned on his heel and ran. The dogs legs lengthened as it chased after him. Whatever magic had supported Chriss sprint home seemed to have run its course, rendering his limbs leaden.

He just barely managed to make it to the family truck and throw Mary and himself in before the family dog landed on the hood, sprouting extra limbs to hold on as Chris threw the vehicle into gear.

The truck roared to life and Chris laid into the horn as he did a violent spin in familys front driveway, dislodging the mutated dog, which fell away with a screech of tortured sheet metal as it ripped away parts of the hood.

Hopefully if any of his family were still

Chris clenched his fists around the steering wheel and shook his head. Moe dislodged, Chris turned the truck towards the road and began blazing towards the city, kicking up a wave of dirt behind him as he peeled out of his homes driveway.

This needed to be reported to the Acolytes.

Yesterday.