Harry and Coral had been in their new house for a couple of months now. The house was new to them but had been around for over one hundred years so had probably witnessed a fair number of new owners stamping their identity on it. The latest owners were no different and had spent the first couple of months adjusting enough of the interior to make it feel their own. Now it was time for the outside. The timing was perfect. It was late spring and the weather was getting just that little better, the days longer and any work done to the garden would see a speedy transformation brought on by the rampant growth at this time of year.
So, while Coral prepared a fancy meal as a reward for Harry’s outside work he went to it in the garden. Harry liked days like this; they both did. It was going to be a day of traditional role-play, he out in the garden doing manly things whilst she worked in the kitchen being the earth mother. Coral enjoyed it because Harry didn’t expect it all the time and she knew he was quite happy to cook while she gardened. Today, though, the work in the garden was of the heavier sort and whilst Coral was fully capable of manhandling clods of earth she wasn’t really in the mood. Harry was. He had had a tough week at work and was looking forward to venting a bit of spleen on the earth.
The house was a large detached Victorian affair. It had four bedrooms and enough land to enable a previous owner to build a double garage on it. The area was very well established and very quiet. All the homes were in fairly substantial plots, which gave each one a secluded air. This had been the best house they had ever had and the intention was to settle here indefinitely. The price had been good too, surprisingly good. The previous owner had been keen for a quick sale so Harry and Coral had been able to move unexpectedly upmarket. They new well enough that one reason for the good price, as well as the quick sale, was the empty property next to them. It was of a similar type and age but was boarded up with an unkempt garden that had too many trees in it. It had been vacant a while and was starting to look it. The side gate into it was chained up and behind it was a green darkness from the over abundant vegetation. The fact that each property was very private and that this one was separated from Harry and Coral’s home by a small side road encouraged them to take the gamble. They intended to be around long enough to see that property sold which of course would enhance their own when it came to moving or, hopefully, leaving it as an inheritance. Next door had been vacant for about five years they’d been told.
Today was a heavy digging day. The front garden overlooked the main road into the area. It wasn’t a busy road as it only fed about thirty homes. Their garage opened onto this. At the side next to the vacant house there was a little road that stopped at a farm gate between his house and the empty one to give access to a field. Harry was going to work on this side area today. The two sides that butted onto the roads had a good wrought iron railing as a border and Harry was digging out all the turf a foot wide between the railing and the pavement to widen the whole border. The other side, the inside, of the railing had already been tidied up and planted up. This would enhance the whole look he thought.
The sky was a chilly white and the day was dry but cool with just a hint of a breeze that provided a reminder that it wasn’t summer yet. That made it a good day for a bit of heavy work. By heavy I mean heavier than Harry was used to. He was, if anything, a little lazy physically and had a sedentary job too. But, as long as he took his time he’d get the work done and enjoy that warm feeling when finished and sat down with a glass of beer.
Harry had already worked out a routine when taking the turf up from the front border. He’d work a six-foot section at a time. First he would loosen the turf with a fork and then slowly lever it up and deposit it in his wheelbarrow. The little journeys with a barrow full of turfs helped give his back a little time to recover and he would detour to look at a plant or take out a weed on the way round to the back garden where he tipped out the turfs. It was all very pleasant and measured but didn’t stop him working up a sweat. The fleece he had come out in before working his muscles had only stayed on for fifteen minutes before being hung over the railing.
After about an hour or so he became aware of a rattling noise. He turned around and saw that the chain on the gate to the neighbouring property rattled every time the breeze struck up. The gate itself was old and needed a good wire brushing and paint job. The chain was new but the padlock looked old. Beyond the gate it was shrouded in dark greenery, which made it difficult to discern much. The side path wound away sharply to the back of the house which could only be dimly seen through the trees and shrubbery. He was thankful of that as it meant that the boarded windows couldn’t be seen without actually entering the garden and getting closer. He hadn’t done that and didn’t intend to. It was a forbidding place that didn’t need any “no trespassing” signs.
Harry continued working. The breeze grew a little stronger and, consequently, so did the rattling. It never seemed to rattle when he looked over though; only when he had his back to it and was busy hefting turfs. He thought no more of it as he slowly worked his way along the border. Coral came out with a very welcome glass of beer and they passed a few minutes chatting. She teased him about the surprise she was preparing for their shared meal later knowing that it would keep him going and maybe encourage him to speed up a little. It did. She waited for him to drain the glass and then disappeared back to the warmth of the house and the kitchen. Harry suddenly felt a chill of loneliness at her departure. He wanted to follow her into that warmth and share the companionship and cosiness that she was creating in their home. He heard the rattle again and shivered a little without knowing why. Maybe it reminded him of the cool breeze. He looked forward to finishing.
With a little more despatch, Harry set to. The journeys with the wheelbarrow were not broken with detours any more and the sweat became a little more profuse. His routine was more practised and now he was nearing the end of his work. He was happy now. Soon he’d be finished and the timing was perfect. He was dirty, hungry and just a little tired. But not too tired. He’d enjoy a shower and a beer and then sit down to a hearty meal with his lovely Coral
The breeze had dropped. The gate rattled. Strange. Harry turned around and noticed that the chain was now lying on the ground and the gate was open. The hairs on the back of his neck shivered at something unknown.
Coral had lost track of time in the kitchen until the oven timer went telling her that she was nearly done. She’d tried to time it for when Harry was finished and was a little irritated that he hadn’t come in to clean up. She dropped what she was doing, switched the oven off and went out to see what he was up to, ready to tell him off for dawdling.
She got to the side garden and there was no sign of him. All the tools were there, including the wheelbarrow. Maybe he was in the back garden. Walking briskly around she soon discovered that he wasn’t there either. And after a few minutes back in the house, by now shouting his name, it was clear that he wasn’t there either. The car was still in the garage too. Coral was a little disconcerted as she walked back to where she had last seen him in the hope that he’d be back there as though nothing had happened. He wasn’t.
She looked over to the plot with the empty house on it and gazed at the gate. It was closed and the chain was on it so he couldn’t have gone in there surely?
The gate rattled.
