2 Allergic Reaction: 01

- Who are you? - said the person behind the long gun.

The woman was about 60 years old I'd say. I never saw many old people in the city; most part of the population was between 20 and 50 years old.

- I'm just taking photos.- my voice came out in the right volume this time.

- Name.

In her eyes, after I had moved past the secondary scare, I could see no intention to fire the gun. She was calm, probably just being cautions against a stranger wandering around alone where, I presumed, was her land.

- I'm ST, ma'am. I apologize if I stepped in your land but I have the permission to photograph the landscape.

Looking down at me and my pathetic pale face, the woman eased her features and took pity on me after realizing I represented no thread to her or her land. Putting back the shotgun that was attached to a belt, she extended me her hand as a peace offer.

- If it is my land why is the Force who gives the permission to enter and not me?- she pulled me up with a firm hand, much stronger than I expected from a woman her age. From above I was taller than her but she had a tough body that matched her severe brown eyes and her dark gray hair.- I'm Louise. Sorry if I scared you.

- Not at all. I was too distracted with the camera.

We giggled a little at the situation before falling into an awkward silence typical of first meetings.

- What's so interesting for you to come all the way over here?

- Have you seen the city?

Further inside the corn field a few black birds flew away randomly and I felt an impulse to chase after them through the high stalks.

- But you younglings have your technology, I know you can visit places way nicer than this with your screens. - in opposition to her eyes her smile was tender, she seemed used to dealing with awkward situations.

- Nothing online compares to actually feeling all of this.

When I finished my sentence the woman was staring intensely as if seeking unspoken answers in my eyes. I had no idea what to do so I just stood there looking at her until she made up her mind.

- Come. I'll show you something.

Walking behind Louise I wondered why did she carry, besides her shotgun - which was already scary enough -, a small pistol and a long knife in her waist belt, just to walk around her property. It seemed a little too much for an old lady to be out and about armed like a soldier. Things in the country might not be as calm as people claim they were.

Leaving my curiosity a side for a while I noticed we were going around the field that was on my left side. Closer the stalks were about 10 centimeters taller than me with long green leaves thick as paper, all lined up perfectly for I don't know how far but enough to not let me see where it ended. All there was beyond it were reservoirs a few miles away followed by power towers as big as the city buildings, all lined up for miles into the country.

I kept taking as many pictures as I could of the corn and everything around me, not one minute could be wasted there and it seemed it would take a while to contour that field which was making me impatient.

- So… ma'am where are we going?

- Just call me Louise.- she said, without turning her head.

- Ok... I'm curious, Louise.

- You should be. - now she looked at me with a teasing grin.

- Oh ok, so lemme ask you…- I paused to check if she would reprimand me, as she didn't, I kept going - Do you own this land?

- Yes. If not do you think I would be allowed to walk around armed?

- Fair enough. How long have you lived here?

My eyes were glued to her neck ready to catch any reactions. I even sped up my pace to get closer so I could hear better and while watching her body language.

- For as long as I remember.- that sounded hella melancholic.

- Were you born here? I mean in the country?

- Yes, in this very farm you're stepping in.

- Wow I had never heard about someone that wasn't born in the city...

To live in the countryside you must be either the owner of the land or appointed by the city leadership, nobody moves from the city to the country freely because farming properties are controlled by authorities.

The more I talked to that woman, the more curious I got. Without calling her attention I snapped a shot of her profile, just a back shot to save for my personal collection. As I analyzed it on the camera's screen Louise turned left making me look up. We had finally contoured the field. With the new view, I laid my eyes on a humble but big wood house, with a porch and a swing.

- This place is…- I left my mouth opened as I scanned the construction.

- Old, I know.

- Historical! Is that a chimney?!- I was freaking out a little - Do you live here?

- Yup. Let's go, this is not what I want to show you.- said Louise, never stopping for a moment. On the other side there I was, running around taking pictures from all angles lifting red dirt wherever I went.

Before Lousie could leave my sight I ran after her who walked with steady steps up front while I checked the house pictures. They looked like they came straight out from a history book or a movie set. That would be a very good week, I was already celebrating internally and calculating the photo prices as we headed to the back of the house that revealed what I supposed was a barn.

Using my peripheral vision I noticed Louise had stopped randomly, I took my eyes up to find what she was looking at. We were standing close to the barn door, the place was bigger than the house so it must have a good storage space, maybe for corn or something big like the harvester machines.

- Look over there, kid. - she was pointing somewhere to our right.

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