EPISODE 2 OF 5
Jacob Ryan had a sun and wind worn look about him. Years of physical toil and tough times had taken its toll on him. His only child, Jessica, now a beautiful young lady was entering her last year of high school.
She looked across the table and reached for his hand. “We’ll be alright Dad,” she said trying to encourage a man who felt trapped with no possibility of deliverance or escape. We’ve had tough times before, she continued, “we will get through, you and me together, like always . . . dad?” her voice trailed off. She realised he had not heard a word but was caught up in own despairing and troubled thoughts.
Eventually he spoke, “How could he do this to us, Jess? After all his dad and I went through together? I trusted him. I trusted him!” Jacob slammed his fist on the table causing Jess to jump startled at the sudden temper flare. Jacob grabbed the letter, screwed it up and through it across the room. Pushing his chair back with force, it tipped over as he got up. Leaving the chair on its side, he walked out. Jess fol lowed him to the door and watched. She had never seen her dad so defeated and depressed. She feared that he was about to snap. Hearing of this kind of thing hap pening to other farmers when things got too much made her anxious and deeply wor ried. They don’t talk about it; they just snap and then . . . her hand slipped down into her deep pocket where the riffle bolt, smooth, cool and hard, could not do any harm. Just a precaution she thought, just a precaution.
She loved her Dad more than anyone or anything in the world. Some new instinct was arising within her to protect what she loved most. She was becoming a woman.
Pressure had been building for months as the relationship with their new landowner became more and more strained. The creditors were beginning to circle as vulture glide around a carcass before plunging in for the frenzied feast. To get out of debt Jacob was forced to sell. John Steely offered to buy and allow Jacob and Jess to stay on. It seemed like the perfect solution to a desperate situation. John Steely was their saviour. But as the months past things changed. Steely changed. He became unreasonable. He increased the rent and was impossible to reason with. It was like he wanted them out, having planned this all along. The word was out that the Ryan’s were bust and refused to pay rent to their generous benefactor. This was the Steely version of the story.
Jessica turned and retrieved the paper ball laying on the floor. Unravelling it, an unfounded hope arose within, “perhaps we have just misread it, misunderstood it” she reasoned. Sitting down again her eyes ran over the text. Hope vanished. There was no mistaking it, this is an eviction notice, a merciless, cold, impersonal and heartless “you have three weeks to vacate” eviction notice.
Jess’ head dropped, it was unbelievable, beyond comprehension. How could happen to them? They would leave all she had ever known with nothing and nowhere to go. An overwhelming foreboding descended upon her like an evil cloud of tormenters. She felt for the bolt again. She now understood why some would think it a solution. But not them. Not Jacob and Jessica Ryan. With tears rolling down her cheeks, she deter mined not be broken by John Steely. She was a Ryan and was proud to be. Some how, she would make Steely pay. She had no idea how, just somehow.