NILES’ NARRATIVE | Phil Richardson
It was a beautiful day and Niles felt a spring to his step he hadn’t felt for years. An attractive woman walked toward him. He smiled at her and she looked at him as though he were crazy. No matter. This was a day to be lived to the fullest. Daffodils were blooming and waving their blossoms as if to say, “We brought the spring.” Niles stepped off the sidewalk and accidentally kicked something hidden by the grass. He picked it up. It was a bright and sparkly wooden alphabet block. Every face of the block sported an orange “N”. Compulsively, he put it in his pocket.
From that moment his life changed.
Nonchalantly he walked to the door.
No one was home.
Not a sound.
Nervously he walked from room to room.
Nothing was the same in his house.
Normally his wife would have dinner ready and would be sitting in front of the TV.
Not now.
Needing a drink he grabbed a bottle of beer and pondered this strange happening.
Notable was the finding of the block of “Ns”.
Now he understood. He threw the block out the front window.
There was a shimmering of the air, and he heard the clatter of pans from the kitchen.
“Is that you, dear?” his wife called.
“Yes, I guess you didn’t hear me come in.”
“I’m cooking supper. Just wait till you see my salad. I just have to add herbs from the garden.”
The screen door banged as she left the kitchen.
He waited and the door banged again as she re-entered.
“Did you find all the herbs you needed?” he asked, and suddenly noted a shimmering of the air...
“Nary a one,” she answered.
“Not to worry.”
“Nonetheless it was interesting because I found this block....”
It was a beautiful day and Niles felt a spring to his step he hadn’t felt for years. An attractive woman walked toward him. He smiled at her and she looked at him as though he were crazy. No matter. This was a day to be lived to the fullest. Daffodils were blooming and waving their blossoms as if to say, “We brought the spring.” Niles stepped off the sidewalk and accidentally kicked something hidden by the grass. He picked it up. It was a bright and sparkly wooden alphabet block. Every face of the block sported an orange “N”. Compulsively, he put it in his pocket.
From that moment his life changed.
Nonchalantly he walked to the door.
No one was home.
Not a sound.
Nervously he walked from room to room.
Nothing was the same in his house.
Normally his wife would have dinner ready and would be sitting in front of the TV.
Not now.
Needing a drink he grabbed a bottle of beer and pondered this strange happening.
Notable was the finding of the block of “Ns”.
Now he understood. He threw the block out the front window.
There was a shimmering of the air, and he heard the clatter of pans from the kitchen.
“Is that you, dear?” his wife called.
“Yes, I guess you didn’t hear me come in.”
“I’m cooking supper. Just wait till you see my salad. I just have to add herbs from the garden.”
The screen door banged as she left the kitchen.
He waited and the door banged again as she re-entered.
“Did you find all the herbs you needed?” he asked, and suddenly noted a shimmering of the air...
“Nary a one,” she answered.
“Not to worry.”
“Nonetheless it was interesting because I found this block....”