The Taking of Eleanor Ainsworth

Chapter 7

Theo stood in his mother's garden, his face pressed to the sky, the morning sun peeking out from behind clouds and warming his face. The wind is gentle against Theo's skin, not too cold or too warm, but tepid.

Theo twiddled his little thumbs and bit his bottom lip, looking towards the garden door anxiously. His father had warned him on countless occasions that he was free to roam everywhere and anywhere but the garden shed.

The shed was off limits.

Naturally Theo would obey his father afraid of the numerous lashings he would get if he was to disobey, but this time he had grown curious. He turned his attention back to the shed, which only stood meters away from him and sighed. He took a step forward, the long grass rubbing at his ankles and the morning dew soaking into his little red and white striped socks. He stopped in front of the shed and placed a shaky hand on the door.

It was morning and Theo knew his father would be asleep, therefore he would not wake until his nightshift started. Theo exhaled deeply and pulled the shed door open, the brown paint flaking off and fluttering to the ground below. The old shed looked as if it had collapsed inwardly on itself, the roof sagged and Theo thought it resembled freshly baked bread that his mother had taken out of the oven too soon.

Theo peered further into the dimly lit shed, quietly closing the door behind him and standing in the middle of the little room. The shed was leaning to the side, evidence of what harsh October winds had to offer, the shed looked as if it could no longer bring itself to stand up against the elements and Theo feared that if he were touch anything it would collapse on him, so he kept his hands in his pockets.

Tools hung from nails on walls and a rectangle table stood in the centre, Theo spun around in a circle, dust had settled on every available surface and cobwebs hung like christmas decorations in the corners. Theo shuddered, the thought of a creepy crawly falling onto him making him feel ill.

He was confused.

Why did father not want him in the shed ?

He walked to the back wall and looked out the cracked window, the back fence coming into view. He sighed once again and shrugged turning back round to leave. The sun reappeared from behind the clouds and sun rays filtered through the lonely window, illuminating a painted black handle nailed into the floor. Theo grinned and bent down taking a closer look.

A square was cut into the ground and if Theo pulled the handle up, the square would lift. He mulled this over and ran to the door and peeking out, making sure that no one was awake yet. He closed it quietly and ran back to the handle, using all of his strength, which was little considering he was 6, to open the square. It flew open and Theo fell back with a thud.

Excited he crawled around his grin widening , there in front of him were steps, each one leading further and further into darkness. He looked up at fathers wall of tools and ran to grab a torch, standing on stacks of paint to reach the top hook. He jumped down and ran back to the opening, his little heart beating fiercely and his little body shaking in excitement.

'Maybe Father has presents for me.'

He thought, descending into the darkness, each step groaning under his weight.

'I have been a very good boy lately.'

He gushed, shinning the torch into the dark.

'Oh, but I am disobeying father now,'

Theo stopped in his tracks and bit his bottom lip in thought.

'Oh no, father will beat me, I am being a naughty boy.'