One More Step

"We have many ways of earning money. Soon more money will enter our pockets. But Anna, in case of a huge drought there will be big hunger. With hunger violence, anger and even wars usually are companions."

Anna silently listened to her words. The meaning is clear. They need food to survive a rough time.

"So what is your idea?" The plan was to gather as much food as possible.

"As I told you before, we need to buy bit by bit. Let's by the best quality. West, corn, rice we can dry them one-note time on her he sun so it can last us longer. We can ask Chen to bring us as many as possible big glass jars with lid."

"You plan to bring glass jars to the cave? Will we buy just grains?" In thoughts, Anna actually hit the main point.

"Of course not. Now many other plants will grow fast. As many people will sell, the price could be cheaper. Let's buy many beans as well. We can buy beans sun dry them and then put them into glass jars. You know I can feel the weather somehow. I know in a few days there will be rain. Soon the forest will be filled mushrooms. We can gather some and replant many of those near our cave and inside the cave."

Kyra's words made Anna consider other options as well. "We could at the same time transplant rare herbs as well. The meadow we have in the big cave has enough place for herbs and mushrooms. Think about those steps like protrusions on cave walls. We can use them to plant the ears herbs and mushrooms."

While they planned something so big, Chen arrived and realized that the girls came back.

The two horses stood in their barn he build in the last few days. They are back, finally...

A knock resounded in the garden and made them jump for a second. They got used to being alone in the last tens of days. Another knock made them go to the door.

Chen stood there and waited for them to open the doors. When he saw the two girls' healthy complexions his heart somehow felt easier. But in front of them, he was a usual self, grumpy middle-aged man. He just casually went in and sat by the table.

"I am glad that you two came back. In two days I need to go far away. New situations made me leave this place and I am not sure when we will see each other again. Do you need something to be done in the next few days let me know now. I will take free time before leaving. Everything is ready so you can buy my time that is left before it." As usual, he was blunt about it.

He is direct and blunt and that was actually comfortable for the girls as they could be the same around him as well.

There were many things that will start happening and if he could help these girls before leaving... Who knows if he will come back ever, or even survive this task that was stuffed into his hands. he was not willing. This life now is actually quite by his taste. He can work some, earn some and eat some. Good enough, why bothering him now?

But they needed him, the former him, the one and only...

His mind strolled away to his past years and as he finally could settle down and call one place his home, they pulled him back to that mud like place filed, with snakes, scorpions and all kinds of other slimy creatures. Why? He likes it here, really like this place and his home and these children...

While he was in deep thought the girls prepared the dinner for them and explained to him what they wanted. They actually waited for his answer but they realized that his mind is not with them so they let him be for a while.

As they stared holes into his face he finally realized his blunder and coughed. ''I was thinking about my trip, sorry. Could you please repeat what you just say?''

Giggles could be heard from their side of the table and cheerful laughter straight afterward that made his heart light and cheerful. But on his face stood still indifference and composed expression.

''Uncle Chen, we just asked how many times could you go in one day to city and back? We need you to buy something for us. A lot of it. For our new idea.'' The girl's eyes shone as they cheerfully smiled at him.

''The most four times if I leave in the early morning. That means eight times in the next two days. Do you need something special?''

''Yes. The big glass jars. We want to buy as many as possible. If you bring us them, we will provide you with special food worth of three meals a day for one-month proviant.''

Their offer is something he could only accept, and he did it, very gladly. First time after a long time they saw a small smile on his usually cold face.

The girls just gave up on him, this man just likes to eat their food. Whenever they prepared meals he would wolf it down lime someone was about yo steal his portion. They just got used to his acts. That is the reason for their offer.

But that offer didn't come out just like that. When they were drying the wild greens for their own use Kyra had a weird idea to dry some traveling rations. She made a mixture of cooked rice, dry meat, seasonings, and the dried wild greens and made balls that she first dried over light fire then fried and then again dried on soft air.

The mixture failed many times to dry properly as it turned moldy and rotten. She tried many different kinds of possibilities and finally when she found the right temperature and mixture the dried ration rice balls were something they cooked only once.

That day they promised him to give him traveling proviant if he ever goes far. They remembered their promise and gave him an offer as they knew he will like it. And he did indeed.

So the next two days passed quickly as the girls already had many prepared for the use before and now they spend days in garden foraging the green peas. It was its time already to pluck it so they were worried and di it in bunches. they planned to let it bloom twice and forage it again in couple weeks and then replant the tomatoes, cabbage and turnips.

They seem to have a bunch of the seedlings so they planned to go once in a week to the cave and replant everything and care for the plants once in a while.

On the evening of the second day, Chen took out last crates filled with glass jars and placed them in the corner of their yard. After seeing them busy he just sat down heavily and waited for the meal.

Yes. He knew that these girls had their own ideas and maybe it's better if he has no idea what is it about. Right now they were busy to make some kind of foods he never tasted and he felt stuffy in his heart.

Not stuffy as sad, then angrier. They will now cook even more delicious food but he won't be able to eat it. How can this world be so cruel? Inside he almost started crying out self-pity, but outside he had stoic expression as he saw them making one delicious meal after the other.

Soon the table was filled with so much food that they had to keep their rice bowls in their hands. Fresh chives pancakes, sweet-sour pork, spicy pork ribs, steamed meat buns filled with different kinds of tastes, green salad with sesame oil, seeds and vinegar, filled potatoes with bacon bits and seasonings under the lid and glowing embers, chicken stew with vegetables, fresh river in red spicy sauce, green peas with beef and something he never saw.

Mountain of white stood on the other table and poked his eyes.

But the two girls just started eating and didn't want to tell him anything. He just shrugged and started, as usual, devouring food as he had one more, or two?

Girls once joked that he probably has an endless pocket in his stomach as after food his tummy looked as flat as usual no matter how much he ate.

This time he held back. After more than half of the food was eaten he suddenly stopped and stared at their slow-moving chopsticks as they were his most mortal enemies.

His way and his stare almost made them chocked in laughter so they just winked at each other and started making space for the mountain of the white mountain.

Now he saw that on that mountain seemed to be hills with huge flowers. All in white. He gulped and then gave them stare...

Anna took a big knife and cut a huge piece of the mountain and placed it in front of him on a flat plate. then she gave him a small spoon and let him eat while they watched in curiosity. Will he like it?

But the moment he started eating he almost lost it. His small eyes almost bulged out his head and scared almost the two girls. Not only that e froze for quite a while, while staring at the fluffy white thing he just started eating.

''What is this?'' Wisper like the gentle wind just passed their ears and they could see that he stopped for moment breathing. This time they were worried. Kyra was the most anxious. She just remembered that some people were allergic to eggs. But wait, he ate eggs before, why is his face so strange, does it taste so bad?

They each took a piece of the cake and tasted it and it was really good. Where is the problem?

''How you call this?'' He started slowly moving a small piece of the fluffiness into his mouth.

''Cake...'' But then realized what he meant. ''You mean on the cake... its whipped cream. It took us quite time to make that thing. Luckily Chief Jafar has cow milk so we could buy it from him and make this. How do you like it?''

The blink in his confused eyes made them chuckle as he turned his head towards them. ''This can be made from milk?''

Kyra remembered something when she just arrived in this world. Those things that they called cookies... Wait does that mean they have no idea? But how is that even possible. They ate the cake before. Or is it just him?

''Uhm, uncle Chen... You never ate cake?'' Kyra felt sorry for him, but Anna gave her a strange look and nudged her.

''Uhm Kyra, to tell you truth it was a first time for me to eat this as well.'' Her eyes showed that she spoke the truth and that made Kyra hesitant.

Maybe because Anna's parents had not enough money? Right?

''Maybe you never met with this thing as it is as you could be quite difficult to make and expensive on top of that.'' Maybe with these words, she will let it go so she just continued to enjoy the sweetness of the cake while the two people just went silent and slowly ate.

Before leaving the girls gave him two big crates filled with all kinds of food and a specially prepared box for his trip in the morning. There were three levels on a box filled with all kinds of meat and vegetables and looked so nice that his eyes went hot as he said goodbye to them.

He went out and as they closed the door Anna turned her head to Kyra trying to read her but she just looked at her innocently. ''What? Something on my face?''

Anna just shook her head and went to wash dishes with her own busy thoughts while Kyra prepared water for a bath. She put some of the essential oil in water and waited for Anna to arrive.

Later at night, Kyra was asleep but Anna was hard for the first time after a long time to sleep. She turned her head towards Kyra. ''how many more weird ideas are there in that head of yours? I am anxious. From tomorrow I need to learn more, much more. I need to keep my step on the same level as you do. Right now your ideas went over my knowledge and it seems you are escaping me. Please, let me be by your side. Don't run away...'' Her eyes started to become glossy and her eyes closed slowly.

As her breath became steady Kyra opened her eyes and sighed. ''In this world nothing is permanent. I am pushing you for your own good. If something happens to me you will still have the means to survive and live happily. To push you to work harder and learn more is my way to protect you. Please, I never know will someone come and kill me. So many enemies are there and I have no one to lean on. Anna, you must become stronger. You must...''

The two people outside could hear even such silent whisper and felt sad. ''They are trying to survive this deal truly. That child is even pushing her friend to be stronger. Maybe in the future, we can help her with some leading?''

''What will you do if one day she becomes someone we need to listen to? She is not a nice little girl as these people see her. Look she would push harder her own friend, what do you think will she do to us? Can we survive her training?'' They shook and went silent, each with his own thought, while light passed Kyra's eyes and she closed them and fell asleep...