Posted on February 9, 2016
November Hills
The escape of old B. was a surprise to no one, except Cody. This morning he found a disrupted collar near the empty kennel. At first, he thought that the dog was stolen and he ran to family’s house. Met his grandpa, but an old man combed his mustache and told to cut out the nonsense.
— No one can come near our B. closer than a meter. He escaped. It’s definite.
It was November. The world was freezing. The world was covered by water. Cody ran out from the house wearing only a shirt, smartly jumped over the puddle and rushed to the collar. Took it in hand, fiddled and had a good look at it. The collar wasn’t cut. Is it possible that B. just escaped? Cody was standing rooted to the ground while did not realize he got wet. Came back to the house. Mum already left and will come back only in the evening. Shook off water droplets from his hair and changed a shirt.
Could not find any peace, was roaming the house. Then, decided to speak again with grandpa about B., but grandpa said he was busy. Was looking through the window at the forest. Went to grandma. She just shrugged her shoulders and did not say anything. Then, after Cody had left, she sighed heavily following with her eyes.
Further, went to his uncle and asked if they could try to find the dog.
“Do you know where B. might be?” uncle said.
Cody nodded.
“In the hills, there is no other place”.
“We will go when it stops raining”
Cody realized that it would not stop raining for hours. Became upset and went again to the window. Leaves were indifferently bending under the weight of heavy raindrops, and only needles did not care. From time to time, wiped a weeping pane. Tried not to breath. Stayed like this until dinner.
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At the table, everyone kept looking at him but said no words. After dinner, Cody went to his room. Tried to read. At the age of seven, did it pretty well. Walked up and down. Decided to go to his uncle again, but then listened to the accompaniment of the rain and changed his mind. For a short while, imagined himself in his clothes in the woods, among the field and near the lake. Shuddered. Started to dress. Hastily pulled on woolen socks and sweater. Then, stealthily, on toes passed over closed uncle’s room. Grandpa was sleeping on the green couch in an entrance hall. A chair borne run-down legs and breathing in the chest was covered by a coat. Scramble over the couch, grasped shoes and jacket and, as a bird from the cage, flew out to the porch.
For a minute was standing under the cap, looking in front of him. Boundless fields and yellowed forest. Everything around was sinking while kneeled before the power of downpour. Remembered about an umbrella, came back to the house and took grandpa’s parasol. Then, ran out from the house as well as from the yard and went along a grounded road.
Cody wore a hood with one hand. After went down to the woods, he appeared at the crossroads. One way passed over the forest and another one went deep into it. Chose the last one because thought there might be less mud. Did not lose. Cody stepped fast, almost did not turn around. He was there for hundred times — sometimes with his uncle, sometimes with his grandpa. When reached the sandy pit, looked around and tried to call B. Nothing. Continued his path and further saw ashy cupola of the sky. The road came out on the hill. In the distance, one could see lakes. Called the dog again. Nothing. Nobody’s around. Stood for a while. Finally, decided to look for the dog everywhere he could and went down the hill.
A wide cleaning with a pair of football goals spanned in front of him. In the middle of the cleaning, called the dog. Passing one of the wooden frames quickened his steps. Squeezed umbrella and looked around. Nothing. Walked along the humid hill and approached to the lake. There was a huge metal cabin on the high bank. Stopped and clamored: “B!” Suddenly, a man appeared. He came out from the cabin. Codey almost passed away because of a suddenness. A stranger was also frightened. He was staring at the young boy who stood rooted to the ground among November hills, among water, branch and peat.
“Why are you screaming, good heavens!”, finally said an old man.
“Who are you?”
“Who am I?” stranger softened his tone. “I worked here, kid”.
Cody surveyed the huge metal box with a tiny pipe on the top. Then, examined the man: short, high rubber boots, a cap that covered his ears.
“I don’t remember you”, Cody said after a long pause. Took the umbrella in another hand.
“I’m here to look after the lake. It hasn’t to be dried up”
“It’s a strange job”. Codey squelched through the mud.
Stranger began to laugh.
“Yes, it is. The lake won’t dry up now. No, it won’t.”
They were silent for a minute. Small raindrops continued falling from the sky.
“Have you called for someone?”
“A friend” nodded.
“Who is your friend?”
“B.”
“B?”
Codey nodded again.
“Is it male or female?”
“It’s a dog”
“Really?”
Codey did not look way from the stranger. The old man took a cigarette and began to smoke. Codey felt he was freezing.
“Em, so what happened to your friend?”
“He escaped today”
Pause.
“In the morning. Maybe at night. Have you seen him?”
Codey was attentively looking in the stranger’s eyes trying to find the answer. Didn’t find.
“Why are you alone?” the man asked.
“Nobody cares”
The stranger frowned.
“It’s getting dark, kid”
“I’ll keep looking”
“It’s better not to roam on your own. Let me help you”
“No!” Codey yelled and stepped back. “I’ll do it by myself”
Codey turned around and went away. He went away because he had never lost anything because he didn’t know that all flesh some time will go to the distant, unattainable place where the ground is covered by yellow leaves, where November and cold wind are forever, where the world is filled with the rain. Codey walked several hundred meters and came across a stream. Then, he crossed a stream on a thick block. Suddenly, the wind snatched out the umbrella from Cody’s hand and took it away on the other side. At that moment, he felt not only the cold but also the fear. He kept on looking around and calling the dog. Crystal clearness of humid air was scratching his face. At this moment, another man appeared near the cabin. He was much younger that a stranger that kid has met before.
Twilight was going down on the hills. Codey considered coming back home, but then he looked at the stream; he changed his mind and continued walking. Suddenly, he noticed tracks filled with water. Thought that they might be dog’s tracks. He walked following tracks that could hardly be viewed. Passed around trees and was afraid to call B. All at once, Codey heard a similar sound that he created by himself when touching branch and shrub. If he had turned around, he would have seen the same man who came to the lake after Codey did.
Codey took other few steps and stopped. There was a dog motionlessly lying under one of the evergreen trees. White hair was wet and stuck to the bony body. If there were other decorations, it would be possible to assume that the dog curled up, that the dog is sleeping. Codey came closer and bended forward to his friend. Touched B.’s head with hand. Nothing. Wet and cold, very cold. Codey heard a strange sound again. Turned back and saw his uncle with the umbrella in his hand.
“Is he dead?” Codey asked.
“Yes, he is”
“Because he got wet and freeze to death?”
“No”, uncle responded. “Because he grew old”
Codey did not know if he had to cry, but when he touched his face, he realized that he was already crying. It got fully dark. Uncle came closer and hugged the kid. Codey waited for some time and hugged his uncle in response.
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Type of paper: Creative writing
Citation style: MLA
Pages:5
Sources: 0
Level: Undergraduate
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