Magic Ball: the Billionaire in Ranch

23 Put the Animals Inside the Magic Ball!

It was thrice—probably more prominent than the Stream Ranch Noah had in the human world. He knows to himself that he hadn’t reached the farthest the Magic Ball’s land can stretch to. It can be as small as an island or as vast as the Earth itself. 

He knows he hadn’t figured out every potential this place has, but that doesn’t mean that he will abuse it as humans do to Earth’s nature.

For two seasons, Noah had everything laid to him like a blueprint. Planning something up his sleeves had become a daily habit that no one can stop him from doing.

Since the animals inside the Magic Ball are growing in numbers, Noah had to build more fences for his cattle, and more cubicles inside the stable. To think that he had to do everything himself when he’s inside the farmyard—it was a one-person job that only Noah can do. It was tough, and Noah knew it, considering that he hadn’t allowed anyone to help him build the wood-work. How could he even do that? Tell someone to come work with him inside the Magic Ball? He would be lucky if that someone wouldn’t think he’s getting out of his right mind.

He asked Thomas if he knew any crash course that would aid him in building structures such as stables, fences, and the likes—anything that would help him make do with the mini ranch he aims to create. 

Thomas had that scrutinizing look on his face when Noah told him the lies he curated the night before. He thought twice about what he’s saying, and he felt extremely conscious. It was a miracle that it didn’t show on his face one bit. He looked cold and calculating--he was a professional liar.

In his mind, he thinks he’s starting to look paranoid about the things that will come out of his mouth. Noah practiced his script of lies vigorously in front of the massive mirror in his bathroom. Noah mastered the art of talking in a straight face in no time. Anyone who would walk in on him inside the bathroom would undoubtedly call a mental institution upon seeing his current state.  

As Thomas stood in front of him, his arms crossed over his chest, Noah had the urge to spill every last detail he knew about the Magic Ball.

His gaze wondered at the darkening sky, his thoughts running, running, and running like uncaged wolves wandering through the night.

“A crash course, huh? That would require money,” Thomas said as he leaned on the wooden wall inside the biggest barn Noah ordered built.

Noah didn’t let himself blink his eyes or twitch a muscle in his face. “I’m well aware of the money involved,” he managed to say casually.

God, he was getting good at this!

It took him an ample amount of self-restraint from turning casual to smug. 

It’s because I want to build my ranch inside the Magic Ball. What’s a Magic Ball, you say? It’s something I found when I was planning on hiking a mountain and having a peaceful picnic beneath the tree. See, I was a horrible white-collared employee that needed a break from the city. But I didn’t do anything about it—and then I accidentally rolled down the mountain and found myself submerged in a stream. And there you have it! I found this powerful, Magic Ball and got sucked inside its world. There were million-dollar paintings inside of it, and I sold it and made use of the natural resources the Magic Ball has. There’s the cabin, the World Tree, and that hell of a mysterious pond—

“Noah?” Thomas called—

And now I can’t tell anyone how the hell I’m supposed to place the animals inside one by one without you noticing—

“Noah? Hey!” a hand landed hard on Noah’s right shoulder. He jerked awake from his trance.

“Oh,” was what came out of his mouth. “Sorry. I was thinking about things from two years ago.”

The older man didn’t respond. His face was a blank sheet of paper Noah wanted to crumple and throw away. He didn’t take Thomas as someone who would engage enthusiastically in a casual conversation. But he admits that he was a little disappointed when Thomas didn’t ask further.

“What is it?” Noah inquired as he made his way to grab his straw hat hooked on a nail in one of the wooden posts.

Thomas had his lips sealed. He kept scraping the hays, lost in his thoughts.

Without any words exchanged, Noah headed out to the cold night. The wind brushed his cheeks, and it reminded him to take a breath.

He inhaled deep. For seconds, his chest inflated with air. Then, slowly, he released everything.

Noah thinks that it was rather exhausting to keep a secret to people that he cherishes. But then, it’s harder to keep quiet about it when the mystery itself is not believable.

The next day, Thomas called Noah early in the morning. Thomas personally told him that he didn’t need to go through any crash course. Instead, Thomas volunteered to teach him how to build stables and fences personally.

“Are we seriously making a stable right now?” Noah asked, not quite sure if Thomas had taken this too seriously than he expects.

Thomas chewed at the bubble gum Wynn handed him when they were running the adult horse around.

“Yes,” it was brief—short even that it got Noah becoming alarmed.

Piles of wood were stacked neatly behind them. After explaining the necessary foundations of building a proper structure, Noah’s sigh sounded so resigned that Thomas creased his brow.

“Are you tired?” Thomas asked, his expression between annoyed and worried. “I haven’t explained anything yet. We were just getting to that part.”

Noah had to admit he was indeed skilled, but when it comes to teaching, he will bet on his life that Thomas couldn’t do it, didn’t suit it, and didn’t like it. The expression on his face revealed his distaste when he was conducting a short lecture to Noah.

“Is it that bad?” Thomas wiggled his eyebrows, his mouth upturned into a horrible scowl that made the wrinkles all over his face appear.

Noah had already heard and made a lot of lies. So, he decided to tell Thomas his opinion truthfully.

Nodding, he said, “Yes…”

He had to scrap the entire plan of having Thomas teach him how to be a carpenter s***h engineer, s***h architect within a week.

With a heavy sigh, Noah shrugged his shoulders. Making his own stable, round pens and fences won’t work, so he would have to proceed with the back-up plan.

Without any doubt in his mind, he faced a solemn-looking Thomas and told him to call carpenters to his home.

“I’m having something done in my lawn,” he explained. And it was the truth.

Okay, only half of it, though, Noah thought inwardly. It was a white-lie no one would have taken seriously.

“Bring three or four people,” He added before walking at an alcove that led to the kitchen.

The ranch house turned out pretty, given that he conceptualized it much more straightforward than what the interior designer had been suggesting. He didn’t want anyone to make it look too fashionable. Noah wants things to be as minimalistic as possible.

“Tell them I would pay within the day.” His hands glided on the wallpaper on the living room’s walls. It was an avocado green with a tint of pastel.

“Understood,” Thomas said. He began cleaning the table where they had drawn and conceptualized how Noah would be building the stables and fences he planned.

Standing, Thomas huddled the stuff in his arms. He slowly turned back to Noah, eyes unreadable. “Sorry I wasn’t much of a help,” the old man was as sincere as anyone Noah had ever seen.

Waving his hand in dismissal, Noah shook his head. “No, no,” he took two strides and arrived in front of Thomas. Their eyes met; ocean and light sands, “I just suck at being a student.”

Thomas gave a low laugh, “You? Bad at studying? Oh, Mr. Martin. Didn’t you think Nancy would have had her way with your information at school?”

Noah thought Nancy had been the little girl that liked taking a portion of candy she wasn’t supposed to eat.

“That was a long time ago.” And he hated books before. He loathed everything that has to do with studying. The school was an institution to make acquaintances and learn from your mistakes. It was a time where you mug around with anyone attractive. Noah wasn’t fond of such memories, even if he got to date a famous person back in 12th grade. He was a kid, and fooling around is what kids do. The only thing he regretted was studying like the world depended on it, when in fact, he preferred playing basketball and other sports.

As an adult, he deeply regretted it. The kisses he didn’t find satisfying, the tug of his hair when they are in bed, the sound she would make when he trailed his hands all over her—it wasn’t how he wanted it to be. When they finally decided to end their relationship, Noah learned that you shouldn’t engage in relationships half-heartedly. It would either leave you empty or your previous partner with low self-esteem.

“I never liked it, either,” Noah grabbed hold of the cigarette stick in his hand. Lighting it, he opened the window in the living room. The warm breeze circled its way inside the room.

Blowing smoke, he turned back to Thomas, “Thanks for taking the time to teach me. It means a lot.”

Thomas took a swig from his beer bottle, “You could always count on me.” The words Thomas had spoken was so low Noah almost didn’t catch it.

With a smile, his dimples appearing prominently, Noah said: “I’m glad, then.”

Three carpenters knocked on Noah’s door the next day. The sun was already up when he let them inside. Showing them the sketch of the stable he wants them to make, the three of them nodded in agreement. Eyes roving through the image Noah had printed, one of the carpenters raised his hand.

Noah nodded at him, “Go on,” he urged.

The carpenter’s face was as youthful as it can be. Compared to Thomas, this man had no wrinkles on his face. Not even a blemish from always standing under the sun.

“Where are we building the stables, Mr. Martin?”

Noah blew smoke from his cigarette, “Here,” he said while turning his index finger down on the carpeted floor. The men followed his hands, confusion furrowing their brows as they looked at the carpet they’re stepping on. 

“In—in your carpet, Mr. Martin?”

Noah fought the urge to laugh at his face. He kept a blank expression as he led them right outside his porch. “No. Outside. To the gardens.”

The three of them let out quiet “oh” and “I see.”

Leaning his shoulders at the post, he asked, “When can I expect it done?”

“Mr. Martin, isn’t it odd to build it at the center of your…” the carpenter stopped, his eyes lingering between Noah and the lawn in front of them.

Noah sipped from his cigarette stick, “Is there a problem with that?”

“Uhm, not exactly a problem when it comes to building.” The carpenter answered while avoiding eye contact. “It’s just that, wouldn’t it a little bit too small for animals to come through?”

“Oh,” Noah blew smoke out of his mouth. He stared at the carpenter with his infamous blank expression, “they will. Trust me. They will.”

The carpenters nodded at Noah and began building whatever Noah asked them to. He specifically had the stable made with the same dimensions at the one in his Stream Ranch. As for the fence, Noah had the carpenters cut him wood that he could quickly assemble when he takes it back inside the Magic Ball. They did what he asked without any complaints.

The following day, he had everything transported inside the Magic Ball.