Broken World

Chapter Nine

I'm The What?

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I stared up at the beautiful ranch style house, which butted up against the side of the mountain. On two sides, it was sheltered by a monstrous mountain, blocking all from the out side world. The front of the house over looks the river that William pulled me out off, and to the right of the house was an open expanse of endless open fields.

It was full of cattle, horses, sheep; William had a chicken cope beside the house, and a vegetable garden that wrapped around the house.

"It's beautiful William."  I said in awe.

He wrapped an arm around my shoulders and pulled me closer into him. "Thank you Aurora. It was my wife's and mine. It's been in the family for generations. I can't seem to let it go. One the bright side, I have more than everything here that a man could possibly need. So why leave." He dragged me the rest of the way into the house. Well dragged isn't quite the right word, more like escorted. No, that sounded wrong too. Led. Yeah, he led me into the house.

"Have a seat here Aurora, and I'll get a bath going for you." William walked off without another word.

I sat down on the couch slowly looking around the room. From what I could see from the outside, the place was huge. William dropped me off in his lounge room that was filled with old but well maintained furniture.

I could tell it had a woman's touch, as some of the furniture had the flowery print on it, not something a man would pick.

One wall held a massive fireplace, and above it was a family portrait. I could see William and a woman next to him, I'm assuming his wife. There was a young girl with them, with dark brown hair and bright blue eyes. She appeared to be around five, maybe older.

I looked around some more, and saw that the rest of the walls were covered in books. There must be at least a thousand or more.

I looked up as William walked back in the room.

"Ok, I've got the bath heating up. While we wait for that, how about we get some answers." His tone clearly said that it wasn't up for debate.

"What would you like to know?" I ask.

"How about what happened?"

"When?"

"Before?"

"Before what?"

"Before, down at the river."

"You saved me." I said in a duh voice.

"No before that."

"I obviously drowned." Duh again.

He dropped his face into hand and exhaled really loudly. William raised his head and started again.