Gargoyle: Kinswoman

Part 5

We pulled up in front of an old farm yard with the typical three other buildings surrounding the inner yard. There was a small vegetable garden on the back, but nobody had used it in years. Just like the building in front. Aside the main house, everything was showing signs of wear and now that too had began break down. The inner yard used to hold vast beauty garden which was visible both from bedroom and the living room. So far she had managed to keep it alive, but the November was doing its rounds and what used to be there in abundance was now sweetly losing both its colors and strength. She'd impeded many old time roses that withstood the cold better and their leaves turned red together with chrysanthemums to make sure it never really got bare before winter really kicked in. There was something about leaving it empty that seemed utterly depressing to her and if it was hard to bare to her, she had no doubt it was worse for the woman inside.

The other two houses were granary and barn. Those were the unwritten rules of the farms here – everything valuable was held close, everything disposable outside the small circle. Thank god there were no animals left and the granary hadn't seen any life since Robert stopped coming here. She couldn't move in here and the thought of them being poorly cared for made her stomach churn.

"You've been quiet since we stopped."

"Hm?" She turned to face him and realized he'd been watching me tensely for a while. It wasn't said accusatory, but something in it irked her. It wasn't as if he had been talkative either.

"I guess you can't help it after what happened?"

She arched one of her brows. "I..." She wanted to say she agreed with the message he cave to the man, but seriously didn't like his method. The guy probably needed mental help for the rest of his life. Then again, since they'd turned on the small road leading straight here, it hadn't been in her mind at all. As if it hadn't been shocking at all and she felt lost by the notion how it had simply vanished from her thoughts.

"Is it weird to be back here?" He changed the topic, looking around in the small farm yard.

"No," she shook her head. The opposite. She liked coming back here despite the circumstances. "It belongs to someone, who is very dear to me." But instead of the warmth she felt coming here on other times, this time it was different and she couldn't put her finger on it. Like something ominous was lurking in the November air and she nearly snorted, thinking on all the depressing late autumn poetry by Brits that all carried the same menacing prediction of decay.

"Somebody lives here?"

She had to admit now that he said it, that the house did look abandoned. She quickly opened the car door and bolted for the front door. Fear crept in her and for a fain moment she believed for the worst. She thought she'd be prepared for such occasion, though through all the needed courses she'd taken on caring for elderly, but, for real, nobody is really prepared. The dying surroundings took a whole new meaning and she hurried to get inside, through the open kitchen until her eyes stopped on a small figure. The house was heated at least and she forced a warm smile on my face, hoping to shake the demons away.

He'd followed her and was now standing on the door, eyes fixed on the fragile figure sitting on a large chair in her nightgowns with a little blanket pulled over the body. When she'd say there was a place to hide for a while, she bet he hadn't expect to see anyone there.

She quietly removed her glasses and knelt in front of her chair, gently shaking her knee. "Hi granny!" She told her when she finally jolted from her sleep and was immediately welcomed by a tender hand petting her cheek. "Would you like some tea?"

The woman nodded and she pulled away, assuring her once more that she was nearby, turning on the ceiling light, completely forgetting that this brought Bascun out of his shadows and revealed his wings. She was reminded that by a rush of leather when he hurried to pack them up so they were at least hidden behind his mass.