4. The Bones.

     It's been a week since Trevor had mowed my yard and helped me pack the mattress upstairs. As a thank you I offered to pay him, which he refused but gladly took a cold soda. I haven't seen him since. On my way to town a couple times, I had noticed that the lights were off and his truck gone. It's been so peaceful.

        Especially since I blocked Dallas's number. He had called me repeatedly, following his rendezvous with Sam ending so abruptly. Maybe all the mental voodoo dolls I had made paid off. I've saved all his messages and voice-mail to my phone. I could listen to his dramatic moping on repeat now. Growth. I tell you, had he called like that my first night here I'd have turned around and went to him. I cried myself to sleep for two nights. It wasn't as bad in the bed and breakfast, because I wasn't entirely alone like I am here.

         Now though, I laugh at his sniffling voice as I replay the voice mail in my hot bath. I made a bath tray out of a piece of scrapped lumber I found in the tiny outbuilding. I sink with a sigh into the bubbles as I think about my to do list for tomorrow. Now that I have thrifts enough furniture, scrubbed and sanitized, painted said furniture, hung a few photos and shelves and threw down a few rugs, it actually feels like a house. Everything is tidy and somewhat decorated enough to feel like an actual home. Now, I need to work on the outside. I need everything to be done soon so I can focus on getting myself a job. I've been quite easy with my money. I caught the house payment up for several months, but with utilities and groceries, etc. my nest egg will vanish quickly.

         Finishing up my nightly routines and self care, I let creature out to potty and we return to bed. I turn on the small lamp on the nightstand and raise the blanket so Creature can crawl under and get comfortable too. We lie away, me in thought, and him vying for attention until we fall asleep. It is short lived though as we hear distance thuds. I huff and drag myself to the window to lookout, just in time to catch Trevor shutting his truck doors and walking towards his house his house. He's hardly visible from here though. He appears to look around under the dim post light, backtracks and disappears into a small barn. You know it's quiet out hear at night when you can hear a truck door slam this far away. I flop face down into the bed and resume my sleep.

          After we wake up, I take Creature to potty and fix us breakfast. I change into old clothes and we head outside in the warm sun towards the outbuilding to swipe the gardening tools that were left behind. I also take the chalk line and tape measure with me as well. Creature has gotten over his overstimulation and has learned the property lines. He sits vigilantly beside me, ears perked and 'on guard'. Ready to sbsck on bees and butterflies that draw too close to his mama. I unearth so many weeds and grass that my hands cramp. I wipe my hands off and stand back to admire my work and grab a bottle of water.

         I take a few sticks and mark off where I want the flower beds to go and the privacy fence. It's going to look nice, but it's so bare. I spot a few easter lilies at the edge of the woodline and I smirk. Pretty and free. Perfect. Without shelling out for expensive plants, I can swing some mulch. I scan the woodline, mentally selecting the lilies I intend to dig and how many I might need. I dig up three right off, before I'm forced to cover my nose. The godawful scent of death invades my nostrils and I gag. No doubt the hear of the past week has enhanced it. On my tip toes, I look around for a few minutes, only to find nothing. Each gust of wind whips the offensive odor right back up my nose. I groan and keep my shirt over my nose until I've finished. After I relocate the plants, I step back into the woodline trying to find the source of smell.

          I'm armed with a shovel, and prepared to bury whatever unfortunate critter met it's end. The scent still carries, yet I find nothing. Even Creature sniffs about until we come to a shallow creek. He greedily laps up water. I get an idea though, while I'm waiting. These stones around the creek bed would make perfect edges for my flower bed. Lifting them hem of my baggy tee, I stash about eight large stones in my shirt as we trudge bsck to the house.

        "Creature! Creature stop! Stoooooop!" I screech. Creature leaves me at the woods' edge as he bounds back into the woods. I drop my stones and race after him. Out of breath, I lean against a nearby tree and pant. My sides are aching and I'm exhausted. I spend several minutes trying to rest myself when Creature makes his way around through the trees to me with something in his mouth.

        "Creature, give it! Give it here. Now!" He snarls and runs back towards the house with it and I once again chase him. He bypasses the house and runs directly in the direction of the neighbor's cabin. Ugh. No you big doof! Stop! We are mere feet from the shrubs lining the front of the cabin when I geta burst of adrenaline and gain on him, tackling him swiftly and slamming his big body to the ground.

         "Give it to me asshole!" I pry his jowls open while he huffs and drools. He's so gross and slimy I can hardly keep my grip on him. "Aha! Got it you shady little shit!" Ew. It's a large fragment of a large broken bone. No doubt from a deer or something, probably the carcass I kept smelling. I notice he stops fighting and looks up. I see boots in my peripheral vision and I bring my eyes up in guilt to see an agitated Trevor glaring down at me. He snatches the bone from my hand and hurls it like a boomerang far into the brush. One handed he yanks me to my feet.

          "What are you doing on my property?" Straight to the point I see. No 'howdy neighbor!'

          "Trying to catch this dog. He found something dead or whatever and he went running to your yard with it. I tried to catch him before he left my yard but he moves like Flo Jo, only he's not as pretty." Creature tilts his head. "Sorry boy, but it's true." Trevor shakes his head.

         "Keep that mother fucker out of my yard and property."

         "I'm putting up a privacy fence anyhow." I grab Creature by the collar and turn to leave.

         "Don't worry about the privacy fence. Just keep the mutt leashed outside."

         "Duly noted." I storm off from him irritated and tired.

          I water my lilies, spray my hands and spray Creature off. I tie Creature on a leash to the porch while I finish gathering the creek stones to line my flower beds and run inside to shower. Feeling refreshed, I head out to buy mulch and get a much needed haircut, leaving Creature inside the house. The trunk, backseat and front passenger are  crammed with bags of mulch. I waste little time changing once home and I spread the mulch and strut around admiring my handiwork.

          "Not too shabby. Now time to celebrate my hard work." I say outbloud to nobody in particular.

        The sun is now setting, the sky is an array of vibrant colors and it's still so warm out. I decide that since I have a fireplace outback that we should roast some hotdogs. Creature barks anxiously as I gather a clean stick and start the fire. He eats two right off hand, and I roast several more. I hear movement behind me and I groan internally. I know who it is without even looking.

         "Care if I join? Smells great." He slinks down beside me in one of the chairs and I hand him the just roasted food. He eats merrily, as if he wasn't so aggressive with me earlier. He must know that still angry, because he turns to me and mutters a sorry.

          "Tomorrow morning I'll pick up your boxsprings."

           "Thank you. Wait here for a moment, and I'll bring you the money. I'll give pay your gas too-"

            "No need. You'll come with me, won't you?" Put on the spot I awkwardly agree. It's just a trip to town and back. I'll have my cell with me. I'll be fine, maybe uncomfortable, but fine. The breeze carries the scent back into our area and I groan.

            "That's what I was talking about earlier, with Creature and the dead animal. We kept smelling it and he took off into the woods and brought that bone back out and ran with it." He narrows his eyes at the dog but quickly removes them.

          "Keep him tied. I better not find that shit in my yard." He stands abruptly, see you in the morning."