Menagerie estate

Chapter one: Your new home

It was a average day in August, the air was hot and humid and made your clothes sticky with sweat. You, John Doe sat in the back seat of a grey coloured taxi car "Where to boss man?" Asked the driver as he came to a fork in the dirt road which pointed north east and north west "north east" you said in monotone, you were not really paying attention to him because your mind was busy deciphering how you found yourself in this situation.

You were a loser, not because you never tried or applied yourself to something you believed in, you were a loser because people simply more fortunate than you had someone get the chance to succeed for them, unfortunately you weren't born into a family who had the ability to help you through nepotism.

Your parents or friends would say "Keep trying John, you can get that job if you try hard' they would always say 'Try hard' well how hard does someone have to try before they get it? you often thought to yourself. The only one that understood you woe was your grand-uncle Herbert, he was a very famous zoologist and biological scientist who had clawed his way to the top in 1969.

As you sat in the back seat of the taxi with your head bowed you could image Herbert clearly, as if he was sat right beside you with his giant grey beard that reached his stomach, his pale skin, the smoking pipe he kept in his jacket pocket, the farmer's cap he wore to cover his shiny bold head and his inquisitive green eyes, that kind that could enchant anyone. In your hands was an open envelope you had received a month prior, it was from Herbert himself. You pulled out to read it once more, squinting your eyes to decipher the cursive writing.

' Dear John Doe

I hope this letter fines you in good health, I write to you with an important request; Im getting too old boy, my mind and body are getting weaker every day and I can feel my edge growing duller. Therefore I need you John, to maintain my estate, I beg that you agree. Do not fear Dear John, my maid Felicia has remained to help you every step of the way and I have left you more than enough money to handle your every need. I imagine by the time you've received this letter, i would be cremated but don't feel remorseful, the last thing I want is for you to cry over an old fart like me.

Yours sincerely, Herbert Doe'

That was all it said, after some deliberation you pack your bags, settled any affairs and left for Herbert's or rather your home.

The car began to climb a Hill where the homestead was situated, you could just barely see it on the horizon like a blurry dot at the edge of your vision? To your left was miles and miles of grass and wild flowers, a good picnic location possibly, if wheather permitted. To the right was the village Herbert's estate over looked, from this distance it reminded you of those rugs designed like cities, the village appeared perfectly flat from this distance with the people going about their day looked like specs, similar to ants scurrying about their hill.

Final after a bit of struggle to get over the incline you arrived at the estate, or rather the front gate. It was massive gate of rought iron that tapered into six broad, intimidating spikes at the top. The gate was connected either side by large bolts to walls of hard and jagged rock, the kind European castles were made from to handle harsh weather and attacks with trees peering over the top as if watching the new arrival. You and the driver both shared a look of awe "Whew boy, you must feel pretty lucky to get to live here fella!" He whistled in amazement "Yeah… lucky, any where this should cover the ride, thanks." You said and passed him a handful of notes.

After collecting your luggage the driver left with way goodbye and a jealous glint in his brown eyes. Now you were all alone with the gate to your new home standing before like a metal sentry, you took a deep breath of clean country air and walked forward to your new life.