xx Chapter 2 xx
The cottage looked exactly like it did in the picture. Harry quickly shoved open the swinging gate and walked up the stone walkway. The cottage was off the beaten path, within walking distance of a small town full mom and pop shops. The landscape reminded him of the movie “Lord of the Rings” in the Shire. Small fields surrounded his cottage, and on either side within a mile were two other small cottages.
There was a guard inconspicuously placed near the doorway of Harry’s cottage, sitting on a stone bench reading a newspaper. Harry gave him a standoffish chin up. Swinging the door open Harry entered the house. Plastic sheets covered up the tastefully organized and arranged furniture to ward off the dust. To his left was a small dining room attached to a small kitchen, a living room with a piano, small television and coach. Upon further inspection Harry found a small bedroom with a sizable queen size canopy bed. Each room was color coordinated and classily decorated with synchronized colors and styles. Overall, the cottage was small, but cozy and homey. Despite himself, Harry liked the house.
The back porch of the cottage looked over a rolling hill with a forest at the bottom. Harry could barely make out a small stream, shallow and full of rocks surrounded by small yellow flowers. Settling lighting into a wicker loveseat on the small wooden patio, Harry sat in the mild cool weather, enjoying the light breeze. The weather was wonderful, much warmer than Cheshire but much cooler than most of the states.
A wet nose nudged his fingers and Harry looked down to see a well fed and groomed black lab standing by the end of the loveseat, wagging its tail eagerly. Harry petted the dog, a smile creeping onto his face.
“What’s your name?” he asked the dog, scratching behind its ears. It had a collar, so Harry pulled its tags into sight and read them. The address on them was the address of his cottage so he figured the dog must live here or belong to a previous owner.
“Jana,” Harry read off the tags. “Are you Jana?” The lab wagged eagerly. “You can be my friend, Jana.” Harry laid wearily on the padded loveseat until he could barely see the sun behind the trees, musing glumly over the recent turn of events. Finally, when he began to feel mosquitoes biting, the sun was nothing but an orangey glow on the horizon and the only sound was crickets and frogs down out the pond, Harry got up and went back into the cottage. Jana followed him enthusiastically, licking his palms as he walked.
Harry slid open the sliding door and Jana stood outside, looking at him questioningly.
“Yeah, come on in girl,” he waved and Jana quickly scuttled into the den of the cottage. Harry closed the door behind her and locked it. Then he went to the front door and locked it too. Although he wouldn’t admit it, Harry realized since the attack he had been taking extra security precautions. Jana curled up on the rug, sighing with satisfaction. Harry turned on the gas in the fireplace and threw a couple of logs stacked next to it into the flames.
“Have you had dinner, girl?” Harry asked the dog, smiling. Jana looked up at him shyly, tail going wild. “Let’s see what we can get.” Jana didn’t move, but Harry went into the kitchen. The cupboards were full of foods and Harry guessed Paul and Louis had been in charge or helped since they was full of all his favorite foods and ingredients to cook with.
Taking a glass bowl down, Harry filled it with canned chicken and tuna and took it to the living room. Jana perked up, her nose twitching inquisitively.
“Enjoy!” Harry placed the bowl next to her and she immediately began to scarf down the mixed meats. Returning to the kitchen, Harry warmed up beans, rice and sausages on the small cookstove and joined Jana in the den, eating his food slowly.
“I don’t feel much like sleeping at all,” Harry sighed, and Jana stared at him in understanding, wide chocolate eyes. Quickly Harry pulled a thin blanket over him and laid back, finishing up his supper. Jana relocated next to Harry, and he motioned for her to get on the couch with him. She climbed up by his feet and he offered her his empty bowl, which she licked clean.
Throwing the plastic bowl onto the rug, Harry rolled over, tucking his hands under his chin. It had been a long day and a strange one too. Checking his phone one last time, Harry closed his eyes and fell asleep.
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