𝙸𝙽 𝚃𝙷𝙴 𝙴𝙽𝙳 || Original Story

thirty-five | drink

I awoke late and dejectedly the next morning to find that it was raining heavily. The water droplets thundered against the glass of the window in an irregular and somewhat annoying manner. I just wanted to wake up to silence and sunshine.

Felix was cosily curled up and fast asleep on the end of my bed. I heard him creep in my room during the early hours of the morning and let him be; he probably just wanted to stay warm. But he got up when I did and followed me downstairs to the kitchen where he took a quick drink of water from his bowl before staring at me hungrily as I made myself some toast.

Despite my love for the rain and the way it seemed to silence the air, I was saddened to see it because I'd hope for a little more fine weather before the definite start of autumn, which would quickly turn into winter. However, I imagined that Maplebrook would look magical, like a winter wonderland with thick blankets of snow and at atmosphere of total tranquility.

After having breakfast and getting dressed (into weather-appropriate clothing, which for me meant my usual shirt and jumper combination), I slipped on my boots and grabbed my umbrella and my bag before setting off outside.

It was mid morning and the streets of Maplebrook were the quietest I'd ever seen them. The few people I did see, though, weren't without their own umbrellas and a pair of suitable shoes. Unlike myself, they were in a hurry to get to somewhere dry and warm, so it seemed I'd have Maplebrook to myself.

However, as I began to settle into the solitude, I was approached by a familiar face.

Jack was wearing a raincoat, the hood securely over his head, and his usual tatty jeans and boots. He had a smile on his face, too, as he came up to me and seemed to be in a cheery mood.

"Hey, Edgar!" He greeted chirpily. "Are you busy?"

"N-Now?" I asked, wondering what on Earth he had in mind.

"Well, now and for the next hour or two."

I shook my head and Jack's smile grew bigger.

"Great! How do you fancy coming to pub? It'd be nice to catch up with you."

I thought so, too. I hadn't seen Jack properly since the fête and, really, ever since I'd met him I hadn't spent time with him like friends regularly do. And we were friends, after all.

"B-But it's not even m-midday," I remarked with a slight frown.

"So?" Jack laughed. "No harm ever came to one beer."

"I d-don't drink, th-though," I added, to which he laughed even more.

"Doesn't matter. I'll buy you an orange juice or a lemonade or whatever it is you lightweights have instead."

His comment made me smile. I couldn't say no to him. I didn't have much else to do and I'm sure that Maplebrook could wait another day. So I nodded and, with a broad grin of triumph, Jack led me down the road and to his 'favourite place on Earth'.

The pub was called The Royal Oak and was charming little place with old floorboards and beamed ceilings. The walls were painted cream and red and were decorated with photographs of the Cumbrian landscape; there was a small fireplace off to the side that wasn't currently in use, and several stools lined the side of the bar, which was immaculately polished, and all aligned in an orderly fashioned. Whoever owned the place clearly had an eye for interior design and liked to keep everything up to a high standard. It was certainly better than some of the few pubs I'd been to in London.