NovelEnglishChapter 250
Ella
+25 BONUS
When | finally reached the familiar cornfields a few hours later, | slowed to a trot and then stopped at the edge of
the property.
The old farmhouse sat in the distance, and to my relief, lights were on in the windows. Yellow light spilled out
onto the front porch, and I could see the faint glow of what looked like a television through the living room
window.
He was alive. He had to be alive if the lights were on.
| shifted back to human form before walking up to the front door and knocking.
To my relief, heavy, booted footsteps approached from inside. But when the door swung open, it wasn't the
farmer standing there-but rather a woman in her forties with graying hair and tired eyes. She was holding a
shotgun. The sshotgun that the farmer had been holding the last tI'd been here.
“Who the hell are you?” She made sure to hold the gun where | could see it, although she didn’t point it at me.
It's past midnight.”
My heart lurched, but | held onto hope and forced a smile. “I'm looking for the farmer who lives here,” | said. “ Is
he available?”
“What do you want with my father?” A younger man appeared behind the woman, crossing his arms over his
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtchest. “It's late, and he’s not well.”
Not well. Fuck.
“I just need to speak with him for a moment. It’s important.”
“Look, lady, whatever you're selling, we're not interested,” the woman said, adjusting the gun in her grip. “And if
you're here about the farm debts, you'll have to cback another time. Dad's too sick to deal with business
right now.”
“I'm not selling anything,” | said quickly. “And I’m not here about money. I just... He helpedabout a week
ago, and | wanted to check on him.”
The woman and man exchanged glances. “What's your name?” the man asked.
| hesitated. | couldn't give them my real name, but | also couldn't lie about having met their father. “Stella,” |
finally said.
“Who's at the door?” A weak voice called from inside the house. | immediately recognized it as the farmer's
voice, although it sounded much frailer than | remembered.
“Sgirl named Stella,” the woman called back. “Says you helped her out last week.”
“Stella... Stella... Sounds familiar...” There was a pause, then: “Let her in.”
“Dad, you need to rest-"
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Chapter 250
+25 BONUS
“Let her in, Mary. | remember her.”
The woman—Mary-sighed and stepped aside reluctantly. “Five minutes,” she said to me. “That's it.”
| nodded and followed her into the house. The living room was small and cluttered but cozy and well-lived-in,
and there was a little girl sitting on the old plaid sofa, watching a black and white movie on the TV. She didn’t
look up as | entered-just kept eating her bowl of ice cream.
“He’s in the back bedroom,” Mary said, gesturing down a short hallway. “But he tires easily, so please keep it
brief.”
| walked down the hallway, my heart pounding harder and harder the closer | came. The bedroom door was
cracked open, and | could see the edge of a hospital bed inside.
| knocked softly and pushed the door open.
The farmer was lying in the bed, propped up on several pillows. He looked older than | remembered even though
it had only been a couple of weeks, his face gaunt and his breathing labored. An oxygen tube was tucked under
his nose.
“It's you,” he said, smiling faintly when | stepped into the room. “You're much prettier when you ain't covered in
mud.”
I would have laughed if it weren't for the circumstances. Instead, | stepped into the room and closed the door
behind me. “What happened? You were fine when | saw you last week.”
The farmer chuckled, although it turned into a cough. “Been better, I'll give you that. Doctors say it's my lungs.
Started gettin‘ sick about three days after | gave you that ride to Ashclaw.”
Three days. Three fucking days since | told him my true identity.
My throat bobbed. “I'm so sorry.”
“What? Nothin’ for you to be sorry about,” the farmer said. “These things happen. I'm seventy-three years old -
not exactly a spring chicken.”
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