[1921] How to Spell Gold

Hey! So this is a short story, originally 2600 words, but edited down to 1921 words. Please let me know what works and what doesn't and if the pacing is okay. Overall, I'm looking for ways to make the story feel more natural and whether the internal and external descriptions are balanced. Free feel to completely destroy this story, cut it down to 1200 words if needed!

How to Spell Gold

Critiques: [2576]