Planted Seedling: Day 15

Word Total: 90,019

Year to Date: 210,041

Summary of Events:

Brandt tried once more to get a reason out of his dad, but got nothing, which left him angry. Lark sat up late thinking through what her dad told her before finally getting into bed and crying herself to sleep. Brandt went over to see Lark and apologise to her for his dad's behaviour; Lark then told him what her dad had told her the day before and Brandt got more than a little mad when he heard that his dad had taken a quarter of land from her and her sisters, and so went home to confront his father . . .

Excerpt of the Day:

"Brandt's long stride quickly carried him to be face to face with his father, a fistful of Carhartt brown cotton in his hand.

"Of all the low-down wretches in the world," Brandt growled. "I have to call you my father."

"Brandt, what is this?" his dad asked.

"You thief!" Brandt shouted, then swore.

"What are you talking about?" his dad asked.

"I'm talking about the Szekelys," Brandt spat. "And how you stole their rightful inheritance from them!"

"We bought that field together," his dad growled.

Brandt swore. "If you really bought that field then show me the deed!"

"You don't need to see it," his dad said firmly.

"Then you're lying," Brandt said. "If you can't even show your own son the deeds to all the land you've purchased then you're hiding something."

"I am not lying!" his dad shouted, giving him a shove.

"Then show me the deed," Brandt warned.

"No," his dad replied.

"Show it to me!" Brandt shouted, firing his fist into his dad's right eye.

His dad bellowed and hit him with a fist in the jaw.

Brandt slugged a vicious volley of lefts at his dad's face and started to press his dad backwards.

His dad got a right fist into Brandt's left eye. Brandt slammed his fist into his dad's nose several times in return before getting a couple of hard rights to his jaw, and then another one to his forehead.

Brandt tried to get his dad backed up against the leg of the granary they were close to, but his dad held his ground and threw some rights into Brandt's ribcage. Brandt slammed his fist into his dad's shoulder repeatedly before hitting him with a shot in the throat.

The blow prompted his dad to bellow again and swing around, slamming Brandt into the granary leg. He felt a sharp pain in his forehead and felt rather dazed as he let go of his dad and they both fell down.

Warm fluid, likely blood, started running down Brandt's face, but he pulled himself up quickly and jumped onto his dad, driving a knee deep into his dad's abdomen before flinging more lefts at his dad's head.

His dad, roaring and growling at the pain, groped the ground before coming up with a jagged, fist-sized rock that he grabbed. Brandt went to block him, but still ended up getting grazed on the cheek due to the rough texture.

Dropping the rock, his dad flung several wild rights at Brandt's body before one struck Brandt rather low, and hard.

Brandt released his dad and curled up in a momentary grimace before unfolding and surging to his feet, where he threw two hard knees into the same low spot his dad had struck with his fist.

His dad dropped to the ground, groaning in agony. Brandt's sides heaved as he stood over his dad, ignoring the pain throughout his body. He saw a familiar vehicle out the corner of his eye and looked up to see Lark's Jeep, with her inside, staring at him in horror."

Next post will be February 28.