The following day, Harm awoke and tried to move. His body screamed. Every inch of him ached as though a dragon had trampled him. Slowly rising from the mattress, he grabbed the canteen and drank greedily. The work he had completed with Jeffer had left him spent, and this morning, he was very sore. He groaned as he went to stand and attempted to stretch; every inch of his torso complained at the exertion he had placed it through the previous day.

Jeffer had completed much more than Harm, but Harm had not stopped, not wishing to be outdone by him. It had eventually been only when Wes arrived to check on Harm that he was forced to stop. His clothes had been drenched in sweat, and his body and clothing were smeared with dirt from the work. He had returned to his room, where Jeffer had brought in a metal tub. It wasn’t large enough to lie in, but Harm had been able to sit in it and wash himself down, removing the sweat and grime from his torso. 

Wes had even brought Harm some new clothes, larger than the last set he had been given, and, although ill-fitting, they covered him much better.

There was a knock on the door.

“Come in,” Harm said.

Sister Carol entered. “How are you this morning?”

Harm grimaced, looking at her. “I have felt better,” he said, rolling his shoulders.

“You overdid it yesterday. Jeffer told me that you were trying to compete against him.”

Harm felt crestfallen. “I didn’t want not to pull my weight.”

“You are still recovering. You can’t just expect to go and do what you were able to previously. It will take time.”

“I know. It’s just frustrating.”

“And you will get there. Have patience,” Sister Carol smiled. “Would you like to join me for breakfast this morning? I have something I would like to discuss with you.”

It was the first time Harm had been asked to share breakfast with the Sister, and he dove at the chance. “Please. That would make a nice change.”

“Come then,” Sister Carol said as she turned to leave.

Harm followed Sister Carol. Rather than turning to go up the stairs to the chapel area, they turned left at the corridor and walked to where there were two doors—one on each side. Sister Carol reached out to the left door and opened it, stepping back and indicating that Harm should enter. Harm walked past into the kitchen. A long iron stove and workbench took up a large part of one wall, and in the centre of the room was a table and chairs. 

“Take a seat while I sort it out,” Sister Carol said.

Harm had wondered where all the food had come from while he had been staying there, and it was now obvious. A large pantry led out of the kitchen area, and it didn’t take Sister Carol long to return with fresh hogling strips and uncut bread. She set to work frying the meat over the stove, the sweat-salty meat filling the kitchen with its delicious smell. Harm’s mouth watered as he sat patiently, waiting. 

“Help yourself to juice,” Sister Carol said.

A large jug sat in the middle of the table, and Harm reached over, groaning as he lifted it, his shoulder and arm burning with the effort.

“I don’t think you will be helping Jeffer again today,” Sister Carol said, smiling.

“No. I may have overdone it,” Harm admitted. He carefully poured himself a cup of juice, his arm shaking as he did, trying not to slosh it on the tabletop.

Sister Carol turned from where she had been cooking and carried a plate over stacked with fresh hogling strips and placed it on the table. Harm could have almost drooled at the sight as he watched the vapour rise from it. He took a deep breath, wafting the smell towards his nose. “It smells delicious.”

Sister Carol sat and then proceeded to cut a thick slice from the bread before handing it to Harm. “Oh, butter,” she said, suddenly standing and going back to the pantry before returning with a block and placing it on the table. 

“Help yourself.”

Harm picked up a knife and scraped a large knob of butter from the block before smothering the bread he had been given. Then he took several hogling strips and placed them on top. His mouth drooled, and he swallowed back the saliva as he looked at his handiwork before taking a large bite. His eyes closed, and he moaned in pleasure as he bit down. The hogling strips cooked perfectly, adding a slight crunch; their salty flavour complemented the butter. The heat from the strips had melted it, and it dripped from his mouth as he chewed before eventually swallowing. 

“Delicious, thank you,” he said, wiping his mouth with his sleeve and opening his eyes again once he had swallowed the mouthful.

Sister Carol smiled as he ate, helping herself to a couple of strips as she watched him. “Have another if you wish,” she said as Harm finished demolishing the first.

Harm didn’t need to be told twice, and he soon had a second stacked slice of bread.

After he finished the second slice, he picked his cup up and drank before speaking. “You said you wished to speak to me?”

“Ah, yes. After you returned to your room yesterday, Wes and I spoke. He has suggested that you may wish to consider doing some work around the town.”

Harm frowned, looking at her. “What sort of work?”

“You have to realise that you managed to get yourself quite a poor reputation over the previous months before you came here. You have stolen from many of the townsfolk, and Wes believes that if you help out with various chores, it will help you get back in good standing with them.”

Harm felt embarrassed and guilty from her words. He had no recollection of what he might have done while in the depths of drink. “Have I really hurt that many?”

“Enough, yes. I must warn you that some aren’t even happy about you staying here.”

The comment shocked Harm. “I am sorry if I have caused you any problems.”

“There's nothing I can’t handle. The complaints have mainly been directed at Wes. Poor Tanya has had to face some rather rude remarks from members when she has been to the market.”

Harm could feel the heat rise in him. All Wes had done was help him, and the fact that members of the town were saying things to Tanya, who had taken him in, initially fuelled his temper. His face creased as his temper rose.

“No, Harm. You can’t allow anger to take over. All that will do is add fuel to their fire. You have proven your strength and resolve over the past month, and you must continue to do so. You need to show the town you are back. The Harm people remember, not the man you became. You have lost more than many could ever imagine, and the effect it had on you is understandable.”

Harm sat silently, Sister Carol’s words cutting him deeply. His head drooped as thoughts of Dahlia and the kids came back. 

“You have a second chance at life. It is time to shine. Show your transformation and let people see the new you.”

Harm reached up and scratched his head. His hair had grown back since his initial arrival, although still short. He had remained beardless, although each time he shaved with a knife, it had again been removed from his room.

“I can only try,” he said, looking at Sister Carol.

“That is all we can ask,” she smiled. “Now, considering the work you did yesterday, I don’t believe you are currently fit enough to do anything, but with your agreement, I can arrange something for tomorrow.”

“That would be great. It would be nice to get out and see people again. Not that I’m not grateful for everything you have done for me,” Harm said, this time his cheeks heating with embarrassment.

“Not at all. It is understandable. You were always a free person before, and I hope you return to it.”

“Thank you.”

Harm sat talking to Sister Carol for a while before she had to leave to attend the morning service. Harm returned to his room when she did, his body sore and aching. He stretched off again and attempted to perform some exercises, but he had to give up due to how sore his body was. He lay back down on his mattress; the door to his room remained open and unlocked. The demon in his mind visited as he lay there thinking. Drink. You need a drink. The pain will go away. This wasn’t mental pain, though; the pain he felt was physical. I don’t. He thought as he argued with himself, eventually pushing the demon aside again. Memories of his family came again: Marius, when he had milked his first cow, Yonda’s face when Dahlia had presented her with her first bow, and Dahlia herself, her grin and crafty smile that he could see as clearly as if she were standing in front of him. 

As he lay there, he wept again. This time, it wasn’t the same, though; the anger was replaced with remorse as he started to think about the times when he had been too busy to help the kids or Dahlia, for that matter. 

He had no idea what time he must have fallen asleep, and it was only Wes’s voice calling his name that brought him around.

“Hey, Harm.”

Harm rubbed his eyes, sitting up.

“Hi Wes.”

“Sister Carol told me the good news.”

“I’m sorry,” Harm said, looking away.

The statement took Wes by surprise. “For what?”

“For all the problems I have caused you. All you have ever done is try to help me, and I have only caused you grief in return.”

“Harm. That is in the past; leave it there. It is time to move forward with your life. You are not the same man you had become. You have fought your demons and won, and you should be proud of yourself for where you are now. You need to look to the future and make Dahlia and the kids proud from wherever they are watching.”

That comment stirred Harm’s emotions again, and a tear fell from his eye. “I mean it. Thank you, Wes.”

“Stop thanking me,” Wes said, waving his hand as though dismissing his comment. “Anyway, I was talking to Mr Pardew. You know the old tanner, and his fence requires fixing. He has the materials but isn’t skilled.”

“Nor am I; I am not a carpenter,” Harm replied.

“No. You may not be, but I have seen the work you used to do around the farm. There was never anything wrong with your enclosures and fencing. You maintained everything well.”

“I suppose,” Harm said, wiping his cheek where the lone tear had fallen.

“So, are you okay if I tell Pardew you will see him tomorrow?”

“Yeah. That sounds good. I don’t think I could have done anything today anyway,” Harm replied, rolling his shoulders.

Wes chuckled. “Jeffer told me about your work and the state you were in when I came to see you yesterday. I will collect you in the morning and take you over there.”

“That sounds great, and I really do mean it when I say thank you.”

Again, Wes waved his hand before he turned and left again. 

Harm sat for several moments, thinking about fencing and the type that most in the town used. It felt pleasant for a change, the turmoil in his mind being replaced with something to focus on. It had been the same the previous day, keeping himself focused and his mind busy. He lay back on the mattress again, and for the first time in a very long time, he smiled. Maybe I can get through this after all.