Old Man Harris

The old brown shaggy dog limped out into the shadowy woods from the open road. His jaws clenched around the small remains of a dead squirrel. Tom Piper sat on a big rough log behind a tree and watched in hope, that maybe he too could have some of that tasty dead squirrel... A large branch was nearby; he stood up and stepped in front of each foot slowly making rippled footprints in the dry dirt as he got closer to the branch...1

The dog was too engrossed in eating the dead squirrel to hear Tom Piper sneak up behind him. Tom was just about to come down on the dog with the large branch, when all of a sudden the dogs ears pricked up and with a sudden jerk of his head, he lunged at Tom.2

Tom’s eyes widened in terror, but he composed himself in a sheer second. It seemed longer, but with his outstretched boney hand- he struck the snarling dog with a hard blow to the forehead. Even though the dog was old, he still had some fight left in him. In mid air, this time the old dog pushed Tom to the hard surface. The dog was snapping with gritted fangs at Tom’s scratched face.3

Tom gained authority again and struck the old dog for a final blow.4

Tom moved the dog off, of him. He sat for a moment, thinking about how he almost lost his life 5

‘Well, it was either him or the old dog’, he thought.6

Tom got up and walked over to the dead squirrel. He picked the squirrel up and dusted it off and placed it down on a makeshift area for cooking his prey, not far from where he was standing. He looked over at the dog that almost ended his life. He walked slowly as his energy was draining from the struggle before. He dragged the dog over to where the squirrel was. Then he went off to fetch some sticks to start a fire. By then Tom was getting mighty hungry.7

He started rubbing two of the sticks together and it wasn’t long before the fire was burning brightly. He then sat himself on a rock to make a tool out of some scrap metal he found when he was gathering up the sticks. He used it to skin the fur off the shaggy brown dog and then the half eaten squirrel. Once the animals were both carefully skinned without any cuts or Knicks, they were placed carefully on the fire. Tom warmed his hands over the crackling fire, while he waited to eat.8

After he’d eaten every last mouthful, he let out the loudest burp that must have echoed for miles. Over mountain tops and rippling through streams and stopping at the nearest farm house, if that was even possible- or was it! He put his hand to his mouth, a little embarrassed by the noise that came out of his mouth. Even tough there was no one around to hear him; it was his tough upbringing that made him uncomftable about most things. He wiped his greasy hands off on his dirty torn clothes, while he thought about ‘where he was going to sleep that night.’ He stomped out the fire and picked up his metal tool, walking in the direction of the nearest farm house that he would come to.9

When Tom came to the farm house, he saw the lights were still on and two silhouetted figures up against the front window. His steps were silent as he made his way to the barn. He dare not let Old man Harris see him, incase he hurts him like he hurt his dad ten years earlier. Tom was only six at the time and old man Harris came out of nowhere in a fury riding a orange tractor at full throttle and ran it over poor Tommy’s invalid dad Peter. Old man Harris had only received 12 years jail time with a possible parole in 10 years. His dad wouldn’t hurt a fly. But old man Harris claimed that Tommy’s dad slaughtered one of his male boars. The boar was feral and out of control, heading towards their farm. The only thing Tommy’s dad could do was to get his rifle and shoot at the wild boar. The shot was only meant to stop the boar in his tracks, but the shot was fatal. Since then Tommy’s been sent to foster home after foster home, after his mother Carol took her own life that night 10 years ago. She overdosed on pain killers.10

Today is the day old man Harris was released from prison. Tommy heard he was getting out this day, after he over heard towns people talking about it. He was scavenging for food around the bins after he escaped from his latest foster home two weeks ago.11

Tommy found a soft bail of hay to rest his head. He thought often about today and what he would do or say when he confronted old man Harris after all these years. His 10 years older now and not the little boy he was back then. He won’t be frightened, and go hide somewhere he won’t be found. All curled up, not daring to make a sound.12

Tommy blames himself for not being able to help his dad all those years ago. But he won’t make the same mistake again when he comes face to face with the coward who killed his dad.13

Tommy was awoken out of his restless sleep by a noise, outside the barn. He crawled slowly along the hay covered ground and came across a pitch fork. He stood upright with the pitch fork in his right hand... He moved with caution towards the barn door. He peeked out through a small hole in the door. He saw old man Harris swaying in a drunken stupor over towards where an axe was laying nearby an old tree. Old man Harris picked the axe up and started calling out to the other person that was inside the house.14

“Come and get me you old hag.”15

Just then Tommy witnessed something he didn’t think he would ever witness again! The woman ran out of the house and climbed up on the orange tractor and starting it up, headed straight towards old man Harris. She ran the tractor over him and then backwards over him. 16

“Take that old man, you’ll never hurt anyone again, she screeched!”17

Looking more intensely, Tommy noticed a strong resemblance in the woman as the same as his Aunty Pauline. It was his mom’s sister. 18

He never saw his Aunty Pauline again for a long time after that night. She ran off screaming into the middle of the night. But, Tommy slept better that night- which he hadn’t done so in a long time. 19