Chapter 10. Alone

It was now fifteen years since everyone had arrived on the property, sixteen for Mark, but no one had realised except for Mark. He was sitting on the veranda with the dog George at his feet and Jen the cat on his lap. George was a very old dog now and pretty well on his last legs and Jen was no better, it was a wonder they hard survived this long. Mark was not himself either and had not been for a few months, the hard life of those early years were starting to catch up with him.

John had taken on the mantel of leader of the community and was doing a very good job, he had grown into a strong intelligent young man. Growing up surrounded by women seemed to have done him a lot of good keeping him centred and calm.

Carroll came out of the house with some glasses of water, some biscuits and sat next to Mark.

“Do you remember sitting here fifteen years ago,” said Mark.

“Yes,” replied Carroll and then “I sure do, I seem to remember you saying something about running out of tea.”

“Tea, my goodness I haven’t seen a cup of tea in what, thirteen, fourteen years,” said Mark.

“Do you miss anything from the old days?” asked Mark.

“Chocolate,” replied Carroll.

“Oh chocolate,” said Mark.

“It hasn’t been all that bad, if fact it’s been pretty good,” said Carroll.

“Yer, it’s been pretty good, nothing like my life before, I have had to really step up,” said Mark.

“We have a great community here, I look upon a lot of them as being my children or grand children and I think we have done a very good job,” said Carroll.

“You so right, I’m proud of all of them,” replied Mark.

“I wonder what’s happening out there in the big wide world, is good winning over bad or the other way round?” asked Carroll.

“May be one day, one of the kids will fine out,” said Mark.

“I’ve just got to check on the cake in the oven, back in a minute,” said Carroll.

Carroll got up and went into the house.

“Well George old mate,” said Mark.

George lifted his head and looked at Mark.

Carroll came out of the house and sat next to Mark and said, “another ten minutes and you can have some hot cake.” She looked at Mark whose eyes were closed and smiled. Mark fell forward in the chair knocking his glass of water over. Carroll gave him a push and said, “wake up,” she then pushed him back in the chair and felt for a pulse, there was none.

Carroll sat there holding Marks hand for a time, at one point John and Kathy walked by and called out, “how are you two today,” Carroll replied with, “fine.”

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