Kourriel's Cottage

The harsh winds were howling throughout the pitch black of night, the branches blowing every which way, through the forest walked a young man named Benjamin Kourriel, holding a tied up sack that was jostling and squirming about in his hand. Bandages were wrapped around the sides and across the centre of his head, with his ragged, black hair still exposed. The murky mud was squishing beneath his sandals, and some even got on his long, black pants. He soon heard his cell phone ring, so he took it out from the pocket inside his rugged, dirty jean vest. He opened his phone and looked at the caller ID, his dark green eyes reflecting off the phone. When he saw who it was, he pressed a button on his phone and held it up to his ear.

"Hey, what's up?" He asked. "Yeah, I'll be fine; it's just a small wound at best, nothing to worry about. The bandages should be coming off next week." He paused for a moment. "I'm on my way home, I had to pick up some food for Abigail. Fall is coming up soon, so I have to gather a bunch of these suckers while I still can." He paused again, looking a little irritated after a few seconds as he clenched the bag in his fist. "Ugh, not this again...look, I'm not ready to go back, especially not after what happened." He sighed and shook his head. "Besides, they never liked me anyways, you know that." He mumbled under his breath. He continued walking, allowing the man on the other end of the line to talk and after a few minutes, he was out of the forest.

"Mm, alright, I'll think about it, but listen; you always know you're welcome at my place any time." He started walking uphill and soon felt a few droplets of rain. "Anyways, I better hang up now. Seems like there's a storm coming up so I better get inside, and you know how bad the reception at my place is." He laughed. "Alright man, take care." He scratched the back of his head. "Love you too." He shut off his phone before pocketing it and soon his cottage came into view. He rushed up towards his old abode and opened the door. He stepped on the mat and took off his filthy, mud ridden sandals.

"I'm home, Abby!" He announced before closing and locking the door behind him. He went into the kitchen and put the small bag down, making sure it was closed up tight. Soon afterwards he opened the dishwasher to put away the now clean dishes, the clanging and clattering of the plates echoed throughout the entire house. He then opened a cupboard, got out a watering can and couldn't help but notice the rain now falling rapidly against the windows as he began watering his plants. He jumped as he heard thunder outside, his hand twitching, spilling a bit of water on the floor. "Damn, I'll have to clean that up later." He walked back to the counter, grabbed the bag and headed downstairs into the basement, where he saw the only other companion in his house, his pet snake Abigail within a large glass tank filled with foliage and branches.

Abigail was his only friend, and he preferred it that way. He walked up to the tank and smiled warmly. "Look what I've got." He untied the bag and took out a live rat by the tail, squirming and shaking on the edge of his fingers. "It's all for you Abigail." He dangled the rat over the tank as the snake slithered around; he dropped the rat in the tank, and proceeded to do the same with two more.

The rats were scurrying about, afraid for their lives as Abigail honed in on her prey. She took one of the live rats by the neck and snapped it, slowly devouring its carcass, savouring her meal as the other rats shook in fear. Loud thunder was heard outside as she pounced on the other rat and bit through its back, then the other through the chest. Benjamin smirked as he watched all this, knowing that she loved to hunt her food as if it were her prey, he watched as his pet consumed the remains of the carcass.

"You enjoy that, girl?" he stuck his arm in the tank and rubbed his fingers against Abigail's cheek, who rubbed her head against his skin affectionately as if to thank him. "Yeah, who needs them? You're all the company I need." He chuckled. "I just hope I didn't give you too much at once." He pulled his hand out, and the serpent went back to slithering across the twigs and leaves. "Love you, Abigail." Another loud booming sound of thunder was heard as flashes of lightning shone through the windows, the storm was now coming down harder than ever, leaving Ben concerned.