graveyard farming

Slash didn’t know why, but something about the graveyard pulled at him. Sure, of course there’d been talk of farming in the soil there- but initially, he didn’t want to do it. It seemed strange, disrespectful. It reminded him a little too much of the bloodshed he’d seen among his people before ending up here. 

Yet, here he was- claws flexed into the soft grey earth, testing it. It sprung back up when he lifted a paw, sponge-y and full of potential. He didn’t want to think about what made it seem so fertile. He stepped further into the area, leaning down to scan his eyes across the ground better. There were parts of it that seemed more viable than others, and he settled beside a fairly large patch of nice looking soil. As he gently dug a paw around in it to make a hole, something came up through it. 

“Oh no- no!” His mind began to scream, but his throat suddenly felt tight. He couldn’t do anything but watch as a translucent paw wriggled up from the hole he’d just made, feeling around to get a grip. It met the earth and pressed down, using the force to pull more of itself up and out of the ground. Another paw. Chest fluff. Matted fur along its spine. One twisted back leg. A broken tail. 

“Hey, buddy,” the ghost turned to face him, squinting as if its dead eyes were trying to see Slash more clearly. “Your technique is all off, hon.”

Slash didn’t know what to say. Instead, he clenched his jaw tight, giving it a quick nod. That seemed enough of an answer to make the ghost turn, hooking its paw into the dirt to scoop another hole. “You gotta do it like this- those claws’ll only make it messy. Tuck your toes together, don’t you got a trowel, darlin’?” 

“Um-” he started, slowly, “no, not with me… I didn’t think that I’d actually be farming.”

The ghost lifted its head, turning around again to step closer to him. “Liar. You’re not the only one who’s done it, y’know. There’s some plants that only this dead ground can nurture. I’ve seen plenty of you space critters learn about them over time. C’mon, let me show you how it’s done.”

Slash tentatively stepped up to the hole he’d made previously, staring down at his paw and doing his best to press his toes together tightly, making a cup with his claws. He dragged it through the soil, fixing up the hole the same way the ghost did the other one. When he lifted his head to check if he’d done a good job, the air was still and empty.