The Angel of Death

Part - 3

A loud bark broke Tessa's trail of thoughts and she realized she is still standing in the middle of the room, wearing only her gracious host's shirt. That made her move and she quickly closed the only door of the cabin before hurrying to her clothes.

Her cheeks burned with shame when she saw her undergarments, kept right on top of everything. Washed, dried and folded. Clearly her host does not understands meaning of the words "Privacy or Private".

Should she enlighten him? Of course not. She won't even mention it to him. As it is his Devilish green eyes seems to see right through her entire being and it scares her.

Quickly she grabed the items in question along with the lilac gown and started dressing. Once she was properly dressed, she started brushing her hair with her broken brush and untangled the knots. Her hair smells of wild flowers and woods, obviously his soap. But she liked whatever he used to wash her hair. It was a soothing fragrance.

Ten minutes later she was ready in her lilac cotton gown with loosely braided plat that hung past her narrow waist. There wasn't any mirror in the cabin which was surprising but she wouldn't bother about her appearance, never have. She wasn't beautiful and she knows it. No need to confirm the fact.

Finally she open the door and peeked out. Her host and his dog was nowhere. She was sure she heard the dog barking few minutes before but now no one was there.

She stepped out on the porch and looked both side. Nothing. Nor the man nor his dog was in sight, but the beauty of the garden caught her attention.

She couldn't help but walk the stoned pathway towards it. The garden was full of beautiful flowers. Roses, lily, marigold, honeysuckle and what not. The mixed fragrances of the flowers was so heady that she felt herself swoon and caught the wooden bar to steady herself. The bar that was used as a support for thin yellow wines loaded with tiny bunches of the prettiest purple flowers she has ever seen and made a perfect arch.

The pathway went through the arch towards the small black painted gate. Probably the entrance.

Matching black painted fence ran around the entire ground, and so does the mysterious purple flower wines too. Wide space between the garden and the gate was spread with velvety green grass.

Such beauty in the middle of the jungle? Confusing.

She thought about checking out the back yard too but decided against it. Her host may not like her wandering around in his space. So she just walked back and sat on the top step of the porch to wait for the mysterious owner of the mystical space.

***********

Tessa's didn't remember how long she sat there waiting for her host while thinking about her darkened future. Slowly she drifted of to sleep until the sound of thunder awoke her from reliving her abandonment in the dream.

Sun was hidden away and the clear sky was sprinkled with sparkling stars.

Wait a minute. Clear sky? then from where the sound of thunder came?

Her confusion forgotten immediately at the sight of the man and his dog walking down the path towards her.

"Where you went of too? I waited here all day." She asked as soon as he came closer, standing up quickly.

"I come home late everyday." He replied, passing by her and entering the cabin without even looking at her. The dog didn't follow him and stared at her for moment before running away towards the back of the house, dismissing her as his master just did.

She stood there for a minute before entering the cabin.

Once inside she saw him take off his animal skin coverall and and hanging it by the long side table. Then he just walked out again.