Chapter 10 Slate: Acquired!
The most important part of preparing for the winter is stockpiling food. Unlike Japan, there aren’t any supermarkets around here that stay open all year round. The winter weather closes down the town markets, and there aren’t very many vegetables that can really be gathered outside. So, if you don’t want to starve to death, procuring enough food in advance is indispensable.
And, so, here I am, sitting in a beat-up second-hand wagon amidst a huge pile of boxes. I was rudely awakened this morning, in pitch-blackness, long before the dawn had even begun to break.
“Now, then,” my father cheerfully boomed, “today we’re going to the farming village! Is everyone ready?”
There’s no excuse for doing that.
I rubbed the sleep from my eyes, wondering what on Earth he’s
