Journal 107

Jonas and I both swung around to see who was talking. My face was so cold that I was having trouble speaking. Jonas explained that we weren’t lost. We were just hoping to barter for food. Roman-Lloyd, as we would shortly discover was his name, said that his gang didn’t usually trade with outsiders, but he might be able to help us out depending on what we needed.

I was freezing and my fingers were starting to throb. I asked Roman-Lloyd if he had a fire barrel I could stand nearby. I wanted to thaw out my hands. Roman-Lloyd graciously invited Jonas and me into the barn. He said we could warm up there while he gathered up the items that we needed. It was a nice barn, and it was warm. The barn was very spacious and filled with hay. A dozen chickens, several goats, three cows and four horses occupied the barn with us. I plopped down in the middle of a haystack. Jonas walked around the room looking at the animals. Jonas commented on the animals’ wellbeing. All the animals were very well taken care of and not scrawny and underfed like the normal livestock we have seen. A few minutes later Roman-Lloyd and a young girl about 7 years old returned with the items we had requested. Jonas and I handed over the items we had agreed to trade.

Roman-Lloyd asked Jonas and me if we wanted to stay for lunch. Jonas and I both looked at each other and said “Yes” in unison.