Enjoy!
Chapter 1:
Hugh huddled up in his corner. Were he a lesser man he would be feeling the wind whip his beard across his face, he would feel the cold snow and the ice slap him cruelly in his eyes and he would hear his own moans. But he suffered not these pains today.
He was widely known on the streets as “Animal” and he deserved it. More than a few times he had been mistaken by someone walking around his corner of 43rd and Bucking as a bear escaped from the carnival and sheltered in a convenient place from the cold wind. When he stood at full height he was an easy head and shoulders above anyone else in the town, and his never-cut hair and beard did nothing to remove from presence of size that betrayed his soft and calm nature.
The night before he had appeared at the fighting rings in rags. He stayed for hours and left with a bloodied face, a new coat and a new hat. Hugh had betrayed his nature in order to keep warm, but today he smiled enjoying comfort that he did not often feel. Today he had just woken up from three hours of the most peaceful sleep he had had in years.
He slowly stood up and looked around his home. It was dark, but he was not bothered by that. Hugh had lived most of his life in the dark. He had fought in a war for his country where he learned to live short nights and had trained his eyes to work in the dark. He walked around his corner and down a cold street seeming to not be even touched by the wind blowing -6° air into his face. He walked for several minutes with his head up watching his home sit still in the cold.
Hugh moved fast for a man of such large frame and had you been watching him from down the street you would be surprised to see him walking and then seemingly disappear as he slipped into the grill where he had been recently given a job. He had learned to cook in the military and was possibly known more for his ability to make a meal out of nothing than his size and strength.
He found his boss and friend, Ashby, already sitting in the kitchen with the single light bulb above his head shedding yellow light through most of the cold, metallic looking room.
“Hello!” Said Ashby, his light voice brightening up Hugh’s just a bit more.
“Mornin’ Ashby” replied Hugh.
“Nice coat, where’d you get it?” Said Ashby
Hugh poured himself a cup of coffee and sat down in a chair across from his friend “I spent some time at the fights last night, didn’t bet though.”
“Thanks.” Hugh smiled and removed his hat. He fiddled with it as they sat in silence, each dwelling on his own thoughts. They spent most mornings like this, they each enjoyed it. Company did not mean an opportunity to talk for either as they were both quiet by nature.
Occasionally a small conversation would develop but it always faded into silence after a few minutes. After a while Ashby stood up and began preparing his kitchen for a busy holiday. Hugh helped him and while they worked they talked.
Ashby started the conversation “Sleep well Hugh? It’s cold out there.”
“Aye to both. I feel really well, but I didn’t feel the cold today. Been blessed with this coat.”
“I understand that.” Ashby smiled pulling the milk in from outside the door where the milk man had left it.
Hugh began cooking the ham in large slices and cutting it up and as people started arriving he and Ashby’s conversation ended. Hugh often took a piece of ham of a spoonful of grits to satisfy his appetite. It didn’t take long before he had shed his new coat and worked in his ragged shirt quickly turning out food worthy of a king in mass quantities. Hugh knew he had this talent and was often proud of it. He had hopes higher than most of the men of his ranks. He had always had plans bigger than everyone’s expectations of him.
As I said Hugh was warm natured and friendly. He was friends with everyone and he stopped at times in the morning to say hello to some of the regulars. He often showed them his hat with the pride of a boy presenting his prize frog to his mother. As the morning went by the workload decreased and after several hours of working he finally shut down his shift and waving goodbye to Ashby he slipped out the door and headed down the street to see what he could see.
When the sun came out everything warmed up a little and the town livened. Everyone had a little spring in their step and, since the holidays were upon them, there were a lot of people out. He walked past butcher shops preparing meats for the celebrations that were soon to come and inhaled the smells coming from them. He listened to all the sounds up and down the streets and watched the people running in and out and around him home. When he reached his corner he found his fellows huddled around a fire opposite him, sharing from a bottle one of them had scavenged and laughing. Hugh walked over and joined them and was readily accepted with cries of “Look it’s the animal!” He was loved by everyone in his circle and loved them in return.
He spent his day with these friends and the hours passed quickly till the sun set and people went to their houses. The sounds of the street died down slowly and lights went out across the town. When the time came and his friends had left the fire Hugh trudged across the street to his own corner where he laid down and curled up in his warm coat and closed his eyes and embraced a peaceful sleep again.
Brandon
That's cool! I like that. You're doing *really really* good. 'Specially considering that it's your first time.
ReplyDeleteThis is great. How many edits you running this through? Good stuff.
ReplyDelete