Page 20 of Outside Looking In

Shit.Literally shit.

Liam wanted Nathan to shovel all the manure around the farm into the manure pit.

“There’s a manure pit?” It sounded like the most disgusting thing to Nathan.

“We haven’t yet set up indoor plumbing for the sheep. They’re demanding bidets. It’s going to be costly.” Liam smirked. “This is real simple. Anywhere you see shit, shovel it up and put it into the manure pit.”

The name was incredibly accurate. Nathan stared into a massive hole in the ground. Flies and bugs buzzed around it.

“Why do you keep this?”

“I use the manure to fertilize the dirt.”

“How green of you.”

Liam pointed to a piece of manure by their feet. Nathan yelped and jumped back. At least Liam found that humorous. He was more into torture than Christian Grey.

“Let’s do a practice round.” Liam handed him a shovel. Nathan couldn’t even enjoy watching his biceps flex.

Nathan bent over and shoveled it up. It was heavier than expected; the weight crushed his already-sore back and strained his arm muscles.What were these bloody sheep eating?

Liam pointed to the manure pit. Nathan’s shovel wobbled as he struggled to carry over his load. He had a lean figure carved from hours of spin and pilates classes. He didn’t have the musculature for this.

“Now, just toss it into the pit.”

The smell of the pit was even worse than Nathan’s most treacherous nightmares. It was the nuclear cloud over this whole farm. It choked his lungs and punched at his stomach.

“You don’t smell that?”

“I’m used to it.” Liam waited for Nathan to do his job.

Sweat poured down Nathan’s face. His arms could barely hold the shovel anymore. Every organ cried out for any type of hydration. Coffee, more alcohol. Good Lord, even water.

“Just toss it in,” Liam said.

Nathan couldn’t hear anything. It was all static. Static in the earthquakes and tsunamis.That rancid smell.

But he did it. He tossed his shovel of manure into the pit.

“There you go! See, that was easy.”

And then Nathan barfed. Three times.

His stomach wrung itself out. He heaved in air salted with the scent of crap. Liam handed him his water bottle.

“Thank you.” Nathan took a sip, then he barfed again. Apparently he wasn’t done.

“Feel better?” Liam asked.

Once Nathan knew it was over, he took a sip of water, swirled it around in his mouth, and spat it out. Then he chugged the rest of the bottle. He couldn’t recall being so thirsty.

“There’s a faucet of clean water in the barn. Make sure to stay hydrated. I mean it. I’ll go and fill up a bottle for you. Instead of a cigarette break, take a water break.”

Nathan appreciated his concern, which he didn’t expect to find from Farmer Tight-ass.

“Sweet as.” Liam slapped Nathan on the back. “Don’t worry, cuz. Everyone chunders their first time at the manure pit. You’ll get used to the smell in no time.”

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