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» CHAPTER SIX: A COTTAGE AND MUCH MORE «

The next morning Kevin awoke early, he had to get away from the house for awhile. The sky was so much more clear that day, so he decided to go back to the beach. He packed a few scraps of breakfast to bring to Chester, who he was forced to bring back. He took the same path down, trees surrounding him and branches hanging over him like claws. Kevin strolled across the rocky shore to the dock, where he sat down, gazing out over the sea. The waves crashed monotonously together. Kevin sighed, now understanding better Brian’s behavior. Kevin was gratified that he and Geri would be living somewhere else, he didn’t want to stay much longer at that house, no matter how majestic it might have been.

Then Kevin wandered along the shoreline, thinking and looking for Chester. His hand in his pocket, he slowly ambled along, thoughts pounding in his head. Stopping his pace of thoughts, he felt a familiar furry feeling on the back of his leg. He spun around to find Chester at his heels. His tongue hung out, panting furiously.

“Hey boy...” Kevin said, stroking Chester’s ears. Chester continued to jump up on Kevin, as if he was trying to tell him something. Then Chester ran off ahead of Kevin. Then Kevin remembered that house he had seen off in the distance, he followed Chester. He got closer to the house, Kevin felt like a criminal, sneaking around the beach and approaching the little house. It was fairly small and abandoned. Bushes of nettles overgrowing around the front of the house, made the house look unwelcome.

Kevin tossed a scrap of bacon to Chester and then passed his shaking hand over the rusty doorknob. The wood door was moulding and turning green from the salty sea air. He grasped the knob and held his hand there for awhile, contemplating whether it would be right to go investigate. He gave into the urge and opened the door cautiously. He looked around inside as Chester crept past him and jumped onto the couch that was sitting in the middle of the room. Everything in the room had definitely not been touched for quite awhile, it smelled of the ocean inside and tickled Kevin’s nose. He supposed it was some type of boat house, where supplies were kept.

Kevin walked over to Chester and pat his head, then took a closer look at the couch. It was a sort of plaid pattern, not the most elegant thing one had ever seen, but it was very soft. Over it was a thick blue blanket and in the corner letters were embroidered, FMH. He touched the blanket to feel the coarse texture with curiosity to investigate even more.

Ever since Kevin had arrived at the Halliwell Manor, he’d felt as though he were some type of detective, figuring out a mystery like a puzzle, piece by piece. On a little wooden stand was a picture of Geri, a couple years younger than she was now and another, a picture of that same lady he had seen in Brian’s room that time. That pure gold hair and dazzling blue eyes, one of the most divine creatures Kevin had ever seen. He shivered, feeling drafts all over the cottage. This was too much to bear, Kevin briskly walked out of the dwelling, leaving Chester behind.

“Melanie, I need to know more...” Kevin approached Melanie the next day outside in the garden.

“About what?” Melanie asked, tensing up.

“How were relationships between Brian and the late Mr. Halliwell?”

“Well...” Melanie began, looking up at Kevin and pausing for awhile. “There wasn’t any relationship, I mean they rarely talked at all. I think Brian was always a bit shy and meek around him.”

“Oh,” Kevin nodded, still curious. “Now earlier you had told me that... that Brian...”

“Brian adored Geri?”

“Yes, that’s seems to be what you had informed me,”

“Very true... I don’t actually know for a fact, it’s just... he acts as though he does, he used to spend endless time with her, like you know we were all very good companions. Don’t get me wrong, they never had any type of affair, or anything like that,”

“I feel sorry for him, I’m guessing he’s had a rough life,”

“Yes, he’s lost his mother, you know,”

“Yes, he told me that once, she was very beautiful?”

“Exquisite,”

“Alright, Melanie thank you, you’ve been ever so kind to me... would you like to go with me to the library, and help me pick out a book that I might be interested in? There’s so big of a selection, I’d like to see what you recommend,”

“Surely, I’d love to,”

“Blast!” Geri yelled playing croquet outside, “I really hate this game, mother... why must this be the only thing we do for pleasure around here?”

Ms. Halliwell dropped her croquet mallet and walked over to Geri and said, “Child, you think just because you’re getting married, you have every right to complain about everything. Well, in my eyes, you are nothing but a little girl, and there is no back talking me! Do you understand?”

“Yes ma’am...” Geri said staring down at her feet. Brian sat off in the distance under a tree, watching them. Watching the girl that would be gone soon, he knew the house would never be the same if she left. There would no longer be that cheery sound throughout the house, it would seem so dull. He couldn’t imagine living the rest of his life with Ms. Halliwell and Melanie in that house alone. Of course, Geri would come to visit every so often. But it would never be the same, she’d bring Kevin everywhere she went and Brian would hardly know her anymore. She’d bring her children too, and that would just send Brian right over the edge. Brian tried not to think of it anymore and disappeared inside.

    “‘Ello, Brian!” Kevin said as he briskly walked up to his room. Brian smiled politely and continued on to the kitchen, tea tray in hand. Kevin had tried lately to be the very nicest to Brian, he actually felt sorry for him. He knew Brian’s whole life was serving the girls, and nothing more.

    Kevin threw a rock out into the sea and watched it splash through the waves. He sat on down on the sand, he was covered with sand and the smell of the ocean, but he did not mind. Getting up, he tried to brush himself off and rid himself of the dirtiness. It was time he went back to the cottage he figured. He knew what was in there, but before, for some reason, he became so frightened, he just had to escape. But, there was so much more to explore, he had not even peeked into a single drawer. The total emptiness of the beach sent chills up his spine. He wondered how Chester could even survive a few days more living there.

Shuffling up to the door, he opened the door more casually, aware of what lay behind it. It was exactly the same as before, not a thing out of place, untouched. He saw the pictures of Geri and Ms. Littrell once again, both staring ghostly at him, as if they were watching him. Watching him till he found something more.

Trying to ignore the portraits, he stumbled over to a large and crumbling wood desk. The paint had been chipped off and about only half of it still remained. Papers of no importance were scattered all on top of the desk. Kevin searched through them to find something interesting. He opened the top drawer and searched through it, throwing other things all over the place. Kevin felt a bit strange not finding something right away. He felt stupid about immediately coming to a conclusion that someone was hiding something there. He fell back against the desk and took a deep breath, thinking. He decided to open just one more drawer. It slid open easily and he lifted a pile of papers off the top.

Kevin jumped back instantaneously. His heart pumped wildly and he turned pale. Lying at the bottom of the drawer was a long, silver object. A knife, stained at the tip, with blood.

¤ Chapter 7: If Only ¤
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