0.02 – Slice of Paradise

Dig, dig, dig. That’s all I did in the mornings. I would dig until there were no more valuable rocks. Then I would move on to harvesting. I would harvest strawberries, bluebells, snapdragons, mushrooms, and glowfruit. There were blackberry bushes around the island, but they weren’t harvestable yet. Along my harvesting route, I would check logs for frogs. I still hadn’t found a frog worth much, but it doesn’t stop me from breeding them with my high valued one.

All the digging made me filthy, though, I guess sleeping and peeing in bushes (not sleeping in peed in bushes) doesn’t help the hygiene issue. I could go to the mainland and shower at a gym or something…but it’s a little embarrassing. I will never admit this, ever, to anyone: I am a proud woman. I don’t like accepting help, I don’t like asking for it.
On my route, I found a cave with roots and overgrowth. I had never noticed it before. Should I really go through it? I had no idea where it led. But…you only live once, right?

The first thing I saw was a natural pool. For a brief moment, I wondered if this was paradise…and if so, was it all mine? I quickly stripped to my undies and jumped into the pool. It did nothing for my hygiene, if anything I felt grimier. But oooh, the water felt amazing on my aching bones and muscles. I never realized how much work I was putting myself through. I swam around and soaked in this little slice of paradise.

I spent the afternoon diving, swimming, and basking in the sun. I made a mental note to come here again soon, after my house was built and things settled into a relaxing routine.

I came home, well after the sun had set. My plants needed watered, and I was in dire need of a shower and a meal. Which coincidentally, I had a new shower and an ice chest with some walls. The Watcher must love me, either that or things sold and contractors came in with my odd request. Either way, I could take a shower and sleep with a full belly…but first I needed to water my moneymakers.

The shower felt heavenly, a second slice of paradise for the day. I washed the dirt, the mud, the slime and algae. I washed my stress and aches, and my problems. I felt happy. No. Elated for the first time since I moved to the island. All because I had a proper shower, and would be eating a bowl of fruit loops against the first walls to my house — my real slice of paradise.

Now all I needed was a real bed.