By Ann Marie R. Harvie
“We love it,” said Mr. Davis of the white, three-bedroom
colonial. “Is there anything we should know about the house’s past?”
Mr. Gray’s expression changed. His eyes went to the ground.
"Well...," he began. He shifted his weight and
looked uncomfortable. He scratched the back of his head nervously before he
said, "there's the gnome."
Mr. Davis frowned. "Excuse me?"
“The Garden Gnome outside,” said Mr. Gray. “The neighbors
think it's possessed."
She went outside to the front yard and bent down to examine
it. The paint was weathered, and there was a small chip on the hat. He didn’t look very dangerous to her.
"It's adorable!" She
exclaimed. "He just needs a little paint. He's not possessed, he's
neglected."
Mr. Davis laughed. He told Mr. Gray that they would take the
house. Mrs. Davis bent down and whispered in a low voice, addressing the gnome.
"I'll take care of you if you take care of me, okay?"
She winked at the old gnome and left with her husband.
The couple bought the home and as promised, Mrs. Davis gave
the gnome a good washing and patched the small chip on the hat. After, she gave
the Gnome, who she named Gus, a new paint job. She found a nice shady spot for
him under the Japanese Maple so he would be somewhat protected from the
elements. "There! Good as new!
You look fabulous, Gus."
Weeks went by, and every time Mrs. Davis passed by Gus she
would always say hi, as if he were a pet. When she tended the Maple tree and
the flowers, she would always give him a wash to keep him like new.
One night, when Mr. Davis was away on business, a robber
broke into the house. He threatened Mrs. Davis and began smacking her around
demanding money. She fell from the violence of his attack. She backed away from him until she was
against the wall in the kitchen. The
robber came after her to attack her again.
Suddenly, Mrs. Davis heard a loud thud. A small yelp left the robber’s
lips. His head jerked forward and then
he fell dead at her feet. Blood began to pool from the back of the robber’s
head onto the white tiled kitchen floor.
Lying face down next to the robber was Gus the Garden Gnome,
as if someone had thrown him at the robber’s head. Mrs. Davis steadied herself
and got up. She looked around but saw no
one else in the house besides herself, the dead robber and Gus. When she was able to gain some composure, she
called the police. After she hung up, she stared at the garden gnome laying on
the floor, not touching him so as not to get finger prints on him. She
remembered what Mr. Gray had said about the neighbors thinking he was possessed. She also remembered the bargain she
lightheartedly struck with the lawn ornament.
Could it all be true? "Thanks
for keeping you end of the deal," she said to him.
The next day, Gus the Garden Gnome was in his usual place
under the Japanese Maple tree. All of the blood had been lovingly washed away
by Mrs. Davis. As he rested under the
Japanese Maple, he seemed to have a wider smile on his face as he stood guard
of the Davis home.
End
All rights reserved. Copyright
© 2016 by Out of this World Publishing, LLC.
Photo Courtesy of Pixabay
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