The old, rusting metal gate creaked as he opened it and walked slowly along the gravel path. Pinned to his shirt, his Marshals badge glinted as the light caught it. Normally attentive eyes dulled and vacant as he walked blindly forward. In his left hand he clutched some flowers tightly while his right was opening and closing making a tight fist.
After a couple of minutes walking, he stopped abruptly and sat on the grass, not caring that it was wet from the rain earlier. He opened and closed his mouth a couple of times and cleared his throat. "Hello there love," he whispered quietly. There was no reply.
He laughed but there was no mirth to it.
"Guess ya mad at me for nearly gettin' mahself killed this week. Well, there wasn' nothin' for it - wasn' gonna let that kid go in alone." He winced slightly as he moved to get a little more comfortable. Once again there was silence.
"Kids are doin' fine. Sarah got a new job doin' some kinda fancy research over in Bretonia. I can' really understand it bu' she seems happy and thats all that matters at the end of the day. Jake's nearly finished college now. Says he want's to follow in his old man's footsteps. I don' think he will manage it, he'sa got too softa heart fer it." A heavy silence once more. This time he didn't break it and just sat there quietly as if listening to the wind. After some time the sun began to set.
"Well, ya know, I guess I better be off. Got some paperwork to finish back at the office. I'll see ya next week." He slowly got up and placed the flowers on the ground and slowly walked away. Where he had been sat there were a series of gravestones. The one he had sat before read:
Linda Hawkes
12/7/786 - 16/12/827
Loving Mother and Wife
A new chapter beckons.
