Changing Seasons. Spring, part 1

Changing Seasons.

This story wouldn't look like it does without the work of two amazing custom content makers - Cyclone Sue, from the TSR website and Sandy from her own ATS3 website. Their creations have really helped to bring this story to life.
I'm also hugely grateful to all the friends who've made buildings and people, and even animals for me as well - you'll meet them on the way through!

Spring Part 1 This was not what they had expected to see or find when they pulled up at his great-uncle’s farm. Marcus knew he’d inherited it – the lawyer’s letter had told him so. And, on an impulse, he and his best friend Annette had decided to sell up (not that either of them had had much to sell!) and go and run it. It had looked okay on line. Yes, the photos had been taken a few years earlier. But it hadn’t looked like this.
There was water nearby. Running water, too – just not running onto their land. And a few plants had survived, where the soil had been better dug and enriched. “Well, we’ve got a roof over our heads,” Annette said cheerfully. “And over here we have an elegant dining room.”
It was one of the things that Marcus really liked about Annette. She was always willing to give things a try. “And look! Transport that doesn’t need gas. We’ve got tools and oil in the truck – we should be able to get these useable again.” “And even better, all mod. cons,” Marcus called as he looked round the back of the shed. Marcus tried fishing in the pond hopefully – without much luck. He gave up and turned his attention to the orange tree instead. The spring air was chilly enough to make the fire welcome. Plus it was useful foor cooking on! It was a good job, as Annette pointed out, that they’d stocked up on some basics at that gas station in Newborough on the way.
“We should use those bikes for exploring the area. We can’t be the only people here – we must just not have gone in the right direction yet. I’ll have a go at them tomorrow; you can see what’s what with the plants.”
“Yeah, we’d better save the gas until we’ve found the gas station. We’ll explore as soon as we can,” Annette said, already planning what to do with the plants she’d found so far, clinging on to life under a blanket of weeds. There had been a factory area to the north of the farm, according to the old map in the truck – Marcus had been so pleased when he’d found it going for a song in the second-hand bookshop. Now he was a bit worried that it might be slightly out of date. But with no internet access, no phone signal (which was odd, for an area with factories), and in any case no obvious way of charging their phones except from the truck battery, it was all they had to go by.
And as Marcus came closer to the factory area on the deserted roads, it didn’t look too promising. They propped their bikes up and took a closer look at one of the factory buildings.
“This has been deserted for ages,” Annette said. Marcus peered in through one of the grimy windows. “You’re right,” he agreed. “Let’s cycle all the way round the lake and see if it’s the same everywhere.” But the silence told them that it probably would be. It was just after noon by the time they were looking at their fourth factory building, empty and deserted, like all the others. “I thought you said there was a lake,” Annette said.
“The map says so. Two – one there,” and Marcus pointed in the direction of the mountains, “and one behind this building.”
“Hmmm,” said Annette. This lake was patently an ex-lake. And all that was left of the other lake was a small watering hole. Maybe a large pond. But not a lake. Not any more.
“So where did all the water go? Because there’s water at our place.”
“I’m wondering if it’s an artesian water source. And it just got drained dry.”
“Or something ecological?”
“Who knows? Let’s go and do something with what we’ve got at any rate.” They had cleared the weeds away from round the “house” and made a nursery bed in front of it. The established plants had all been transplanted next to the pond – they wouldn’t need quite so much watering there. And then there had been fishing for their evening meal: the days had just flown by, full from dawn to dusk with hard work. But it did look like they were getting somewhere.
“And I’ll sort out an irrigation system from the river,” Marcus said, determinedly. “Watering by hand is taking up far too much of our time. Once I can find out how to do that…”
“There’s more to the town: we know that from the map. There’s a library marked on it. We could go and explore again, in a few days. When we’ve finished settling these plants in.”


The amazing factories weren't built by me! They are Cyclone Sue's work - you can find them on the TSR website.