Summer Breeze

It has been a few months since she had been relocated to Eden, and summer was now in full swing, the cool ocean breeze running through the small field of wheat keeping Kim from keeling over. To her, someone who was used to living in the cold and dark, working outside during the blazing sunshine was torment, but it was something she had to get used to.

Her thoughts began to wander as she kept mechanically pulling weeds and cutting the fresh wheat from the ground; This was the first summer she had ever seen, and here she was, having to work for most of it for the sake of getting something to eat. She missed not having to cook for herself, being able to order food when needed... Being able to walk downstairs into the dining room in the evening, to eat together with her family.

Pull. Cut. Pull. Cut. Cut. Cut...

Thinking about those days hurt. She did not want to think about them constantly, but somehow, even the smallest thing made her think of home.

She missed home. She had forgone denying that fact years ago, but she still denied herself the opportunity to reminisce, to relive those few good memories she had, those good few memories she hadn't yet forgotten over the years of destroying her mind and body to try and forget her life.

What did she even remember anymore?

Just this once, the woman let her thoughts roll through her mind, just like the gentle ocean breeze did through her field, grabbing onto faint memories like weeds, trying to pull them out of the hazy soil of her memory.

Her mother had taught her many things about Eden, the Overworld, when she was just a little boy. She told her about the seasons, the everchanging nature of the world, all the things she had seen and felt back there. Only after beginning to attend world history classes in school did Kim learn why her mother never had taken her and her father down to her homeland.

"If my memory serves me right, your birthday would be right when summer begins, which fits you *so* well, dear. Your birth was just like summer rolling in after a cold winter and wet spring." She could barely remember the gently smiling face or the loving voice of the woman embracing her and speaking those words, but Kim held onto those small shreds of memory tightly, praying the wind wouldn't blow them all away if she let go for even a moment.

She would let herself hold on, just this once. Even after finishing her work, she held on. Setting down the gathered grain on the dining hall table, she called out to her custodian.

"I've got the wheat harvested!"

After hearing an affirming grunt from upstairs, after a few moments of silent consideration, she spoke up again.

"Also, I think it's my birthday today."