Wood.
Alexander needed to get wood, does he remember why? No, maybe it was that he really didn't need it at all—but what did it really matter? If Alexander said it was to get away from Hester that would be the truth just not one he was ready to admit. Luckily that plan failed flawlessly.

Because Hester tagged along.

He didn't really care, but the monsters sure did. They kept pestering on and on about they're opinions, which usually contradict one another. Alexander found it slightly entertaining watching them squabble at each other while dragging his feet to the much bigger but farther away forest. He slid down the dip in the middle going below into the forest. Ignoring Hester behind him trailing like Alexander had forced him at knife point to be there—which he most certainly did not.

Alexander walked farther in finding a medium size tree and began swinging at it with far more aggression than what was necessary—he didn't even know why he was so angry all of a sudden. Like a weed sprouted uncontrolled and wild, leaving Alexander to pull at it endlessly until he either snapped it or pulled the thing fully out of the ground—neither of which was happening.

He heard Hester behind him, the same rhythmic thuds of his axe hitting a different tree. Alexander heared the crunch of the axe being ripped out of the bark and the thud of it being sent right back into it.

Alexander lifted the sharpened axe and swung again—this time with more of the grace of someone trying to chop a tree down and not one trying to attack it. Hester had told him that when he was teaching him a little while ago, 'and mostly you should probably just not cut down trees anymore mate'—he had said it slyly and malicious then, but Alexander didn't see it as being rude, he hadn't even commented on Alexander's prosthetic which was more than any person had ever done before.

Thud, a few more swings and this stubborn tree would fall, Alexander wiped his brow, taking a small breath before gripping the hilt of the hatchet tighter. Before Hester came, chopping trees was one of Alexander's favorite pastimes, there was nothing really to do out in the mountains and he usually over succeeded in most of his household chores. Some days taking as much wood as he could carry and collapses onto his bed. Now with Hester around, he had to walk to this forest and collect wood from here instead, to let the forest next to his home heal itself again.

Alexander sighted as the monsters whispered snickering to themselves, even though Alexander knew that wasn't true. They always wanted his attention Alexander could have ignored it, but.

Why did they have to be so loud?

Thud, the jolt of the axe momentarily stopped Hester before letting his consciousness drift back into his work. Hearing Alexander swinging somewhere in front of him, he ripped the axe out and pulled the weight behind him again.

The silence being the one of the worst sounds Hester had ever heard. No birds, or bugs, deers or even rabbits, it was like the whole world was avoiding him—maybe they were.

Maybe I just should have stayed with Wilbur.

Hester thought disappointed, but then a small intrusive thought found its way and Hester couldn't...