... a land without poetry, a nation that didn't yearn for pipe dreams found in the stars.
no, his freedom was found in a land of tenacity and committed work. a nation peopled by millions willing to dirty their hands in the pit, skilled or unskilled, a republic willing to compromise bits of their freedom for a common causethe freedom to work harder. Harmon wanted so much goddamn freedom. what was his father's saying? "George had an axe!", he recalled between blinks. "our forefathers didn't sit back and watch the world happen. they cut it down to size!"
his father had calloused hands. his grandather had calloused hands. his mother had bruises all over. now... now a gout of acid began to rise up the back of Harmon's throat. "How," his mind raced, a wash of reflux spreading across his innards, "am I ever to hold a riding crop again?"
he belched; almost retched. his broad frame quivered as he choked back yellowish-green bile. it stung.
"how... how did i know what color that was?"
that thought was cut short as a greater horror took hold. despite the blinking and the gurgling sounds coming out of the man he'd known for years standing beside him, the array of eyes began to focus on the workers in the field below.
roughly half seemed to be sitting down, mostly cross-legged, casually examining their limbs and their newfound sight. some were singing.
the other half were... no longer there. in their place, what appeared to be... mounds of