I lay across my master's feet with my head over my paws and sigh. It's moments like this that makes the whole day worthwhile. Just enjoying a quiet moment of solitude with my master, the Old Farmer. The clock ticks away from across us and is the only sound that breaks the silence. Below the clock there is a fireplace and on the mantelpiece stands a blue urn. With her ashes.
'I still miss her, old boy,' says the farmer. I look up at him and walk over to the fireplace. I face the urn, paw at the mantelpiece and whine. I know he's talking about her.
'You understand everything, don't you? Clever boy.' I continue whining. I know my master is sad.
He gets up and goes to the kitchen. I perk up right away and follow him, with my tail wagging. 'Here boy,' he says and throws me a fine chunk of meat with a bone too! I see him making a sandwich as he butters the bread and lays very fine slices of cucumber over it. He also takes a tin of sardines from the larder and a jar of pickles. He puts the snacks on the table and begins eating. I continue munching on my bone as he also pours himself a glass of lemonade. The lady who lives in the next nearest cottage from here gives the Old Farmer lots of food to make sure he is not hungry. Ever since the death of Caroline the Old Farmer does not have a lady at home to cook his breakfast, lunch, tea or dinner for him. He is a big, tall man and he needs his meals. Jan, the nearest neighbour, takes pleasure to make sure that the Old Farmer is fed now.
'I've still got a great big pie in the fridge to have for lunch tomorrow. Good old Jan,' says the farmer.
'Woof!' I reply.
Suddenly I hear sounds of the key in the lock and I start growling. I've already smelt who it is. It's Rob, the Old Farmer's son. As he comes in he says, 'You said you'd do something about that damned dog of yours, I can't come anywhere near you without him going off on me.' If only the Old Farmer would give me the chance to nip this idiot really good!
'Well he's got pretty good intuition. You come to try to take the urn from me again?' says the Old Farmer.
'She's damn well family to me too!' He says raising his voice. I notice a maddening look on his face. The farmer says nothing but he gives his sandwich a very hard stare before he picks it up and munches. 'I need that urn!' Shouts Rob. The Old Farmer shakes his head.
'Not in a million years will I give you that urn. You don't deserve the dirt she walked on. You treated her like sh*t when she was alive. What makes you want her ashes now?' I growl at Rob even more fiercely and start barking.
'You better get that dog away from me. Right away, I say!' says Rob. Seeing he's losing the argument, Rob leaves, slamming the door behind him. I make my way to the farmer and consolingly put my paws on his knee.
'Here boy,' he says. 'Good boy.' He goes into the cupboard, takes out some biscuits and throws me over one. I munch it happily.
I'm in the kitchen. Caroline is making a very big dinner and she's very busy. I follow her everywhere she goes with my tongue hanging out and my tail wagging. She brushes my head with her hand and smiles at me.
I notice she's made a great deal of food and she's still cooking! She's made a wonderful leg of ham, a fine chocolate cake, a whole lot of vegetables including carrots, broccoli and sprouts and is currently making pastries. She also has an orange juice on the table which she slowly sips as she cooks.
Suddenly Rob comes in and his demeanour is menacing. Although I don't like this man I know he's related to the family so I neither greet him nor hate on him. He gets into an argument with his mum. As I stare at him, I'm used to seeing him treat her with disrespect. I hear her say,
'You've gotten into some bad company the past few years. I don't even recognise my own Rob anymore.'
'What's it to you and what do you know about them anyway?' They argue and I begin to whine.
'I know more than you think, son!' She says, then she puts a hand over her mouth. 'I know enough to realise you've lost the plot.'
'Lost the plot?' he says disgustedly.
Caroline sits on a chair near the table. She puts her arms on the table, rests her head on them and sobs.
'You're not my son anymore. You're not my son anymore...'
Then Rob takes a bottle out of his pocket and pours out a liquid into the Farmer's Wife orange juice. He says, 'Ma, have this, it'll refresh you.' She takes her head off from her arms and gladly accepts the orange juice as she tries to console her sobbing. She drinks it. Rob looks around with a smirk on his face and then he sees me.
'Woof!' I bark.
'Oh, what would a dog know anyway?' He says. He takes a can of food and puts it on a plate. He then puts some of that stuff he put into the Farmer's Wife juice into the plate. He hands me the plate with the food in it and he leaves the cottage. I approach the plate cautiously and sniff it well. I instantly recognise the smell of poison! I retreat from the plate and run to the Farmer's Wife who I notice consumed the drink with the poison in it. I find her unconscious. I wince, trying to wake her up and then I begin to bark as loud as I can so that I can call some attention. I don't stop barking.
The Old Farmer hears me some time later. He runs into the cottage and sees his unconscious wife. Unfortunately it's too late for she's dead.
I growl while I watch Rob's figure from the window as he walks away from the cottage, getting smaller and smaller, disappearing into the distance.
I know Caroline is now the urn over the fireplace and that the Old Farmer loves her. I know who killed her. This is the hundredth time he walks away and he wants the urn. There are still traces of the poison on her ashes that I can smell through it.
The Old Farmer walks out of the cottage and although it is wet and raining outside, I follow him. I have a bone in my mouth and contently chew at the little pieces of meat stuck on in. He picks up the mud and lets it slip through his fingers.
From ashes to ashes
Dust to dust
'Carrrrooollllllllllllliiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiinnnne!' He screams his distress so loud it can be heard for miles away over the hills.
I know what's happened to her. I am the only one who knows.