No Way Home, Only Forward

A cold draft swept into the barn, raising goosebumps on Kei’s skin. He shivered involuntarily, the chill creeping slowly down his spine. He curled up under his blanket and closed his eyes.

“Keisuke,” called a shrill, deathly voice.

Kei shot upright, clutching the blanket like a shield. Sweat slicked his brow despite the cold, and he struggled to catch his breath.

“Who is it? Who’s there?” he asked, squeaking as if he were a mouse.

At the entrance, he could see the pale rider dismounting his horse. He opened his mouth to speak, but his voice failed him. A dry lump lodged in his throat, and his tongue felt heavy and numb.

The pale rider slowly approached. Shadows clung unnaturally to it, thickening the air with each step, as if the barn itself recoiled. He gagged as the stench of decay curled in his nostrils—sour, thick, and clinging.

A sharp jolt stabbed through his heart. His vision blurred—warm blood splattered onto his shirt from his nose.

The rider stopped in front of him. “Death is your destiny. Cling to life, slip into despair. I am inevitable.” It leaned forward. Kei could see a face.

His own face, disfigured and wretched, almost like a mask. It had horns protruding out of his skull under the hood. Suddenly, Kei jumped out of his bed and let out a blood-curdling scream that made the cows stir and panic, and the chickens cluck frantically.

He looked around. The pale rider was gone. He doubled over, wheezing, fingers trembling as they pressed against his chest.

“Why is this happening to me? I want to go home.” He balled the blanket in his fists, dragging it up to his face to wipe away tears that slid unchecked down his cheeks. The straw rustled beneath him each time he shifted, chasing a comfort that wouldn’t come.

The sun was barely about to rise, and the rooster crowed. He slowly got out of bed and made his way towards the house, his eyes half-open. He waited outside for Kent, who soon arrived with the other farmhands.

Kent gave him an appraising look, shook his head, and exhaled. “Alright, I’m supposed to teach you the ropes. You better not slack off.”

His lips moved, but his voice barely scraped above a whisper. “I won’t slack off.” Kent rolled his eyes.

“Alright, noodle boy, let’s see what you can do.” He waved him on. Kei shivered and followed.

Gerald was already waiting. “Good, Keisuke… you’re up. You can’t be working in such weird clothes. There’s a lot of blood on them. I’ll have Heidi wash ’em.”

Gerald handed him a bundle of clothes. “Get changed, kid.” Kei looked around. “Where?” Gerald rolled his eyes.

“Anywhere, I don’t give a damn. Hurry it up!” Kei gulped and went around to the back of the building and quickly changed into white pants, a shirt, and overalls.

He quickly brought his clothes back to the barn. He noticed the cows were being led away by Kent and the other farmhands.

“Come on, Kei, grab a cow and lead it up.” Kei approached a brown cow. Kent facepalmed.

“Not that one, it’s a bull. We’re having him mate. A female, you dolt!”

His cheeks flushed red, and he averted his gaze, unable to meet Kent’s eyes. “Right, a female,” he said quietly. He approached the next closest cow, checked underneath just to be sure, then gently led her along. He followed the others to a stable of sorts, each cow to a pen. He gently led the cow into the pen.

“Now what?” he asked. Kent sighed and shook his head.

“Grab the bucket and milk it. It’s not difficult to figure out!” he grumbled. Kei Kei’s shoulders slumped forward, and his eyes fixed on a patch of straw.

“A... alright.” He grabbed the bucket and put it under the cow.

Kent shouted, “Give it some hay so it’s distracted! Do I have to tell you how to do everything?” His eyes pierced through Keisuke as a snarl crept up onto his face.

“Right!” he said, fidgeting. He grabbed a pile of hay and put it in the trough in front of the cow. He knelt down behind the cow and grabbed the udders. He pulled on them, but the cow kicked and knocked the bucket away while nearly hitting Kei.

Kent let out an exasperated sigh. “Jeez, you’re damn useless. Be gentle and tender, like you’re groping a woman’s breasts.” Heat rose from Kei’s neck all the way to his ears.

“Kent, why aren’t you teaching him properly?” Heidi said in a sharp tone as she walked into the pen. “Here, Keisuke, I’ll show you.” She smiled.

“T... thanks,” he said.

“Put the bucket right underneath. Gently grab the udders, squeeze lightly and twist.” Milk squirted out of the cow’s udders into the pail. “See? Just like that.”

Kei took a quick breath. “Thanks, Heidi.” He approached the cow again, and milk started squirting into the pail.

“Oh, maybe he isn’t completely useless,” remarked Kent with a grin.

Heidi bristled, got up, and pointed at Kent. “It’s really dang clear he’s never worked on a farm. Gerald said to show him the ropes. Quit slacking off or I’ll teach him myself and tell Papa you were useless.”

Kent clicked his tongue. “Alright, jeez. Damn city folks are a pain in the ass.”

Heidi shook her head. “Keisuke is from the north. He’s probably some noble or merchant’s son. He’s got that highborn look about him.”

Kent let out a sigh. “Right, sorry. I’ll teach him properly.”

Heidi smiled. “Good.” She left the pen and returned to her own chores.

After milking the cows, Kent showed Kei how to feed the chickens, collect their eggs, how to tell when a hen is broody, and what to do. Shortly after, breakfast was ready. Everyone went inside and sat around a big table.

“This looks delicious,” exclaimed Kei.

Thanks, hon,” said Helga with a gentle smile. Gerald’s wife had long blonde hair streaked with gray, and a warmth in her eyes that made Kei feel at home.

After breakfast, Heidi put her hand on Kei’s shoulder before he got up. “Keisuke, you got a minute?”

“Uh… sure,” he said, as redness spread across his face. She led him around the corner, turned, and looked at him. Her tone was calm and soothing.

“Are you doing alright, Keisuke? I heard you screaming in the barn last night.”

Kei’s face turned pale white as he recalled the events. “I had a bad dream. A really bad dream.”

Heidi sighed and put a hand on his shoulder. “You poor soul, the war must have been traumatizing. The guys are giving you a hard time. They’re just trying to make sure you’re not taking advantage of Papa’s kindness. But I trust you. You look like someone I knew once. He had that same lost look in his eyes.”

“I appreciate it, Heidi. Thank you. I’ll do my best to make sure your father knows I’m not trying to take advantage of his kindness.”

Heidi smiled at him. “Alright, I’ll let you get to work then.” Kei quickly left the house to catch up to Kent.

“Come on, noodle boy! We’ve got work to do!” he shouted.

Kei jogged after him, smiling for the first time all day.

“Oh, you look happy. Grab a hoe, you’ve got a field to plow.”

His smile vanished, replaced by a grimace. Before him was a massive field that stretched out far beyond the eye could see.

“We have to do this all... by hand?!”

Kent laughed. “Losing your nerve, noodle boy?”

Kei shook his head, quickly inhaled and exhaled. His jaw tightened, and his brow furrowed with determination.

“No, I’m not. Please show me how to plow this properly.”

A smirk crossed Kent’s face. “Atta boy! This is how you do it!”

Kent showed Kei how to properly use the hoe. “This is your field. Mine is two kilometers out. Good luck, noodle boy,” Kent laughed as he walked away.

He exhaled, jaw tight as he gripped the hoe. “I’ve gotta plow this whole damn thing?!” He clenched the hoe hard. “No, I won’t complain. This will make me strong. If I can plow this entire thing, it’s one step closer to being an adventurer.”

Using the proper technique Kent displayed, Kei started plowing the field. After an hour, Kei wiped sweat from his brow with a bleeding palm—and kept going. His shoulders ached fiercely; every muscle screamed in protest, but he forced himself to keep moving.

When he heard the lunch bell, he went back to the house. Heidi gasped when she saw his hands—they were bleeding.

“Keisuke, you’re bleeding. Come on, let me patch those up.” She grabbed his wrist and led him along inside. She applied some cream to his hands and bandaged them up.

“Poor guy, you don’t have calluses yet. This is gonna be rough on you.”

After lunch, he went back out and plowed his field until the sun set. The only thoughts in his head: “I have to be stronger. I’ll become strong, and maybe impress Heidi too with how hard I can work.”

At the end of the day, he could barely stand as he walked towards the barn. As he laid his head down on his makeshift bed, he smiled.

“Maybe I can beat this world,” he whispered. His palms throbbed, his teeth clenched. The pain lingered—but sleep came anyway.