Chevron

Chapter 4

There was something about a Sunday that Chevron always dreaded when he had nothing to do. A day was like any other for him when there was maintenance or work to be done, but when there was absolutely nothing left to do ... that was when the Sunday Blues slipped into his mind.

Although he craved his solitude, he had to admit that Sundays did make him feel decidedly lonely – especially when he had nothing planned. It was easy to forget when there was work.

Normally, on a day like this, the recluse would take a walk around town. It was usually quiet on Sunday mornings, so he didn't run the risk of many people seeing him. The last thing he wanted was people reminding him why he felt alone and depressed.

After locking the door behind him, he glanced across the road and noticed that the colonel's front door was closed - signalling that he was still asleep. Chevron tucked the key in his pocket as he adjusted his jacket and walked down the little path to his gate. He made sure to latch it before starting his trek down the road.

The fresh morning air awoke his sleepy gaze as he moved along the old road at a brisk pace. There was nothing but large trees and nature around him, the odd building of the nearing town peeking through the foliage. He took a deep breath, relishing in the scent of churned ground from the previous night's rain as the nippy air bit his cheeks.

The reason Chevron and Colonel Reed were the only two houses along the road was because it used to be a small farm until the original owner subdivided it. Running between the two plots, was supposed to be the main road leading through the mountain range towards the surrounding towns. Chevron figured the council's plans must've changed somewhere along the line, and they decided to build the new route instead.

He didn't mind though; he wouldn't have the feeling of privacy if traffic constantly rumbled past his home.

It wasn't long before he reached the outskirts of the town, the sun casting its warm glows on the buildings in order to ward off the chill the previous night and rain brought. His boots hit against the pavement with soft thuds as he made his way through the streets. There was the odd person walking about in the early morning, and - as he expected - they quickly readjusted their route the moment they saw him.

Chevron tried not to let the hurt show, but his face still furrowed a little in dismay. It's not like he wanted these scars that made him appear so animalistic, so beastly. But ... he knew he deserved it. 

He deserved to be treated like a beast.

He shook the thought aside and soon found himself entering the town's playground. It was always quiet on early Sunday mornings, but he soon realised that it was not the case this morning.

"Mommy, look!" a young voice called.

Chevron glanced across the grounds towards the monkey bars where he noticed little Jake doing his best to cross them. His eyes inadvertently flickered around, looking for the boy's mother. He noticed her sitting on a bench close by, smiling at her son while she held a book in her hands.

The young woman's smile made his insides feel peculiar, and he quickly brushed the feeling aside as he turned to leave.

"Hey, mister!" Jake's young voice called out again.

Chevron turned to see the boy waving at him, forgetting that he was still holding onto the bars, and he fell onto the sand beneath him with a thud.

"Jake!" Daisy shouted as she rushed to her son's side.

Chevron hurried his steps towards them and watched Daisy thoroughly looking over the little boy's body for any damage. However, all Jake did was giggle as he swatted his mom's hands away from him.