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Over the course of that first day, Hope soon learned everyone on the farm was expected to do chores. She was surprised to find out she didn't mind this at all, even if she was woefully hopeless. But no one upbraided her, or called her stupid, instead taking the time to teach her how to clean, wash dishes, milk cows, and so on. Living in suburbia all her life, Hope was a little overwhelmed at the serene country lifestyle she was now living, but she adjusted to it readily enough, and before long, she felt as if she were a true country girl.
All the women on the farm - ranging from sixteen to sixty - had simliar stories to Hope, and as the days passed, she learned they'd all come to the farm seeking something different, and had been told by Eldon about life on Pandora, and how soon his ship would come and take them away to start a new life. He hadn't told them why he was seeking women, but since his ownership of the farm wasn't too onerous, and he didn't seem the type to demand they hand over all their worldly goods in payment, none of the women minded one little bit. It was enough to know they had a roof over their heads, food in their stomachs, and shelter from the outside world that had treated them so cruelly.
Hope herself wasn't awfully worried about what the future would bring, though she remained skeptical about the mysterious Eldon's intentions. So far he hadn't made an appearance, and when a week had passed, Hope began to have serious doubts that he even existed. All the women swore up and down that he did, but he often left the farm to go to his supposed homeworld, for reasons even they didn't know. He would never anwser anyone's questions as to what awaited them on Pandora - if the place even existed! - and while most of Hope's new companions weren't worried, she was, very much so. If he existed, he was a likely a cult leader, and his "recruitment" was clearly nothing more than a veil to conceal the nefarious intentions she was sure were lurking in his heart. Why else gather vulnerable women and have them work on a farm in the middle of nowhere, isolated from the rest of the world by so-called "protections"?
But, despite her doubts, Hope found herself enjoying her life on the farm immensely. Even if she ended up being shipped off to some Middle-eastern country to become part of a ruler's harem, she reasoned it had to be better than what awaited her back in Oxford - and she wasn't keen on being stuck in her father's clutches once again.
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Two more weeks passed, and at the start of the fourth week, Eldon returned. Hope didn't know what she was expecting, but she hadn't bargained on how ... ordinary the man looked. He wasn't unattractive, with dark brown hair, hazel eyes, and a stocky strength underneath his wiry frame. He looked more like a banker, or an accountant, than a resident from another world, and Hope found some of her ever-present doubts ease when he greeted her that afternoon. "So you're the latest stray," he said, shaking her hand with a warmth that put her even more at ease. "Well, you're not the first rescue we've fished out of a river in the middle of the night, and I'm sure you won't be the last. What's your name, love?"
"Hope," she replied, smiling at the wicked humour in his voice. "It's very nice to meet you." She didn't want to say she was sorry for doubting he was real, but he caught her unspoken words and grinned. 92Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0EggVNxIei
"I know," he said, looking chagrined. "I do apologise for not being here to greet you personally - there's a lot of politics involved in this venture of mine, and the heads at home want to be sure this is a worthwhile investment. I think it is, but they're the ones who have the final say so."
"What do you mean?" Hope asked, confused.
Eldon took her hand. "I'm planning on saying something to everyone," he told her, leading her into the dining room, where the rest of the community had gathered upon learning of Eldon's arrival. "I've managed to get the heads at home to agree - in principle - to my scheme. They're the ones who'll say yay or nay when you arrive in Pandora, but even if they say nay, none of you will be forced to return to Earth."
Hope frowned, more intrigued than anything, and as she found a seat next to Mia, she wondered if perhaps the story of Pandora was actually true? Eldon was certainly spinning a slick story, but Hope thought to herself that maybe, just maybe, there was a grain of truth in there somewhere. But there was only one way to find out for certain.
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