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"Can't do it, son. While I know you wouldn't do me wrong, it's hard to swallow buying something from a failing farm."
His heart sank. "Yeah, that’s what I expect to hear a lot of, worry that the crops feeding my livestock are tainted."
"I'm really sorry, Jackson. There's lots of newcomers here today. They won't have my worries."
Nodding, Jackson walked away without another word. His farm was spoiled goods even when he was trying to sell something other than crops.
"Looks like you are stuck with dried and dying grass a little longer." He pat Mavis on the head as he untied her. "I was trying to help us both out."
Mavis gave a little snort, as if letting him know she wasn't angry with him.
A murmuring from the stall over drew Jackson's attention. Five men stood damn near huddled inside the stall’s entrance, blocking Jackson's view from whatever the product was.
"Magical beans, huh?" one of the men snorted, disbelief etched into his weathered face. "What do they grow—gold nuggets?"
A thin, wiry man at the stall, with a cloak that seemed too grand for the dusty marketplace, grinned. "Not gold, good sir. They grow opportunities, marvels beyond your wildest dreams."
The group erupted into chuckles with damn near all of them shaking their head.
"Keep your laughter!" The man spoke again. "Haven't you ever heard the story about the farmer who grew a beanstalk that led to a world where all their troubles were solved?"
Everyone erupted into louder laughter; some doubled over with amusement.
"No way! Who would fall for such nonsense?" Barked Tony Dee.
Jackson couldn't help but overhear, his ears perking up at the mention of a beanstalk.
"Well, I know a fool who did," the man added with a wink towards Jackson when their eyes met.
The crowd erupted again into laughter, but Jackson couldn't help but smile at their camaraderie. This was something he hadn't experienced much lately. People were too worried about their own struggles to take time out for others. It wasn't money, but it did pay him in another way.
"So, there was this old farmer who found this magical bean plant that grew overnight and promised riches beyond belief," continued the seller before pausing dramatically, "But you'll have to buy these magic beans if you want to find out for yourself."
Jackson edged nearer, the words tantalizing him despite his doubts.
"Excuse me," he called out to the cloaked man, who turned to him with an eyebrow raised. "These magical beans, what do they actually do?"
The cloaked man's eyes sparkled with hidden knowledge—or was it mischief? "Ah, another skeptic? These are not your ordinary beans, farmer. Plant them, and your needs shall be met. Your sorrows are forgotten. But I must warn you, the realm they take you to is as perilous as it is prosperous."
The murmurs from the crowd softened to whispers. The laughter had died down now, as if the seriousness of the tone reached them through their amusement.
Jackson's heart raced as he listened intently to the old man's words. He could almost taste the hope on his tongue, a sweet and bitter flavor that filled his senses like honey.
He was used to taking risks, after all. It was part of being a farmer in this harsh land—but this felt different somehow. This felt like destiny pushing him forward.
He took a deep breath, feeling the chill in the air fill his lungs before escaping in a soft sigh. The scent of freshly baked bread from the bakery across the street mingled with the earthy smell of damp soil from his farm. It was an intoxicating mix that reminded him of home.
Home…
He shook his head to clear his thoughts and turned back to the cloaked man.
"And what's the price for risking these so-called perils?" Jackson asked, torn between his disbelief and the weight of his current plight.
"For you, a price of one honest smile and a promise," the cloaked man proposed with a theatrical flair, holding out a singular, tiny bean between his thumb and forefinger. "Promise to pursue what you find with heart and valor, and I will give you three."
Jackson's eyes narrowed, but the promise of respite for his farm lured him in. With a conflicted grin that bordered on a grimace, Jackson reached out and took the seeds. "Alright, I'll bite. . . or plant, as it were."
The man's lips curled into a satisfied smile. "An excellent choice. Remember, plant it under the crescent moon and prepare for a journey that will change your course forever."
