Gestation, John Gold [good books for high schoolers .TXT] 📗

at thousands of credits.

It’s incredible! Adult players would shell out that much cash for their family? I don’t have the money, but I wouldn’t spend it even if I did.

∞ ∞ ∞

It’s a clear day outside, and the air inside smells like smoke and food. A village hut made of clay and twigs. In the sunlight, the walls appear a dark red, and the sounds and aromas of village life pull me back into the old books. A wooden bed with a straw mattress.

“Sa-a-agie, time to get up. Get something to eat and go help your father,” calls a pleasant feminine voice from behind a curtain, pulling me away from my inspection of the room.

My heart stops. Suddenly, I want to just go do exactly what she’s asking me.

In the next room, there’s a kitchen, with a bowl of porridge on the table. My stomach gurgles but that’s not important.

Mama, Camelia, Level 130

“Mama?!” I look at her in disbelief.

She turns to me, sticks her fists in her sides, and smiles. “Yes, for the last twelve years. Go ahead and eat. Your father’s been up for a while, and he has the tackle waiting for you.”

New quest: Help Father

Description: Find father on the pier and help him catch some fish.

Reward: Mom’s fish pie and/or a walk with father.

Refusal: A beating.

∞ ∞ ∞

“…”

“Eat!” Mom shakes out her towel, turns away, and goes back to washing the dishes.

Just seeing her makes me happy. Tears well up in my eyes, but I don’t whimper. Instead, I sit down quietly and start eating, my eyes never leaving her. She’s there. Mama! She looks about thirty, she’s slender, and she’s wearing around-the-house clothes. Her hair is long and pulled back in a ponytail that reaches her shoulder blades. Long done eating, I just sit there gazing at her.

“Get out of here before you bore a hole in me with your eyes. Go help your father.”

I get up and am about ready to leave when I hear her call after me.

“Who do you think is going to clear your plate away?”

I go back and hand her the empty dish.

Running out of the house, I sit down on the doorstep and wipe away tears. Then, I pull up the interface and turn on the mini map. I find the attribute panel.

Name: Sagie

Level: 0

Experience: 0/100 (100 left until the next level)

Race: Human

Class: None selected

Basic attributes

Strength: 1

Agility: 1

Stamina: 1

Intellect: 1

Wisdom: 1

Available attribute points: 0

Additional attributes

Speed: 1

Athleticism: 1

Morale: 1

Survivability: 1

Derivative ratings

Physical damage: 1 (strength/2, but no less than 1)

Carrying capacity: 2.5 kg (strength*10/4)

Mana: 10 (wisdom*10)

Health: 10 (stamina*10)

Strength: 10 (stamina*10)

Health restoration: 10/minute (survivability*10)

Mana restoration: 10/minute (morale*10)

Strength restoration: 10/minute (athleticism*10)

Running speed: 4 km/h (1+speed/10)

Defense: 1

Resistance: 0

Skills

∞ ∞ ∞

Professions

∞ ∞ ∞

Father… What a word. How I’ve thought about him over and over. I’ve always wondered what it would be like to have a father—I’ll help you, learn from you, be happy. Galboa…

I live in a small village called Orany, which is next to Imir, the big city.

Dad’s sitting on the pier going through his fishing tackle.

Father, Arman, Level 154

“Oh, Sagie, you’re finally awake. Did you wake up by yourself? Or did mom have to douse you with water from the pitcher?”

“Yeah, right! I’m grown up, and I can wake up when I need to by myself.”

I’m floating, soaring. That man is my father! He’s wearing a fisherman’s coat and old, dirty pants with holes in them, and there’s a broad smile on his face.

A light breeze plays with the waves and wafts in off the morning lake with a pleasant aroma. I squint as I look out at the glistening water. This moment, this is something I’ll never forget.

Father dumps the tackle in the boat, climbs in after it, and helps me clamber aboard. Taking the oars, he starts rowing toward the middle of the lake. This feeling, I think it’s happiness.

When we are maybe three hundred meters away from the bank, father drops the anchor and starts working on the fishing rods.

“I’ve heard the mages from the city come fishing sometimes, only, they cast lightning into the water, and the fish swim to the top by themselves,” he says with a faint smile as he casts the first line. “Here, take this. I’ll get the next one ready for me.”

“Why don’t we fish like that?”

“Which one of us knows magic? All I know is how to start a fire and stun someone—no money to learn anything else. And what does a simple fisherman need with magic, anyway?”

“Could I learn?”

Father looks at me sadly.

“You can become anyone you want, but we have barely anything to pay with. Everything else, you’re going to have to get yourself, son. You’re young, so pick up skills, learn professions, and boost your attributes. When the time comes, you’ll pick the way you want to live your life. Maybe, you’ll be a mage. Maybe, you’ll be a warrior. Maybe, you’ll decide to be a trader or a blacksmith. Hey, you could even be a fisherman like me.”

“But how am I supposed to decide who I’m going to be?”

“Sagie, you’re just a kid. You have time to try things out and see what you like. Learn, experiment, play, enjoy life. This is your life. Do whatever you want to do. You get to decide who you’re going to be. Just don’t forget to help your parents out.” Father smiles again as he casts his line.

He sits there looking out at the bobber riding the waves, and I just enjoy the moment of which I’ve always dreamed. Papa doesn’t move until he looks at me slyly and asks a question.

“Want me to teach you how to fish?”

You have a new profession offer: Fisherman

“…yes, of course.”

You learned a profession: Fisherman

Fisherman +1

“Ah-ha, now I have a helper!” Dad looks happy. “Mom never let me take you out before. She was afraid you’d drown. It’s deep here, and there are all kinds of different fish.”

We spend the whole morning, all the way to lunch, sitting in the boat.