water. The creek made a bow at this location, as it crossed a small depression in the ground. It almost turned back upon itself as it left the depression and headed into a copse of trees. Jason bounded into the stream and lapped at the water.
“I’m just about ready to do that myself.” Ralph said as he watched Jason frolic. With a sigh, he turned back to the windmill and the house below. This hill was one of the highest points around and he had a good view of the surrounding countryside. The windmill appeared to be very old, but was in good condition. Someone had evidently been taking good care of it. Ralph walked back down the hill and returned to the barn and then into the yard. The chickens watched him warily and they scattered as Jason bounded out of the barn. He ran through the chickens but didn’t chase them. Ralph stood and looked around again. The more he looked, the better he liked this place. Ralph approached the house and stepped onto the large front porch. He rapped the front door.
“Anyone home?” he called.
After a couple of weeks of not seeing another person, Ralph didn’t expect any answer and when a voice called “Who is it?” from inside the house, his heart leapt into his throat.
“My name is Ralph Bannister. Are you alright? I haven’t seen another soul for a week. Do you know what happened?” he asked frantically.
The reply floated from inside. ”Who is it?”
“I just told you my name is Ralph Bannister. Can I come in?” he asked.
“Come in, come in.” the voice called.
Unsure of what awaited him, Ralph clutched the riot gun tightly. The front door opened easily and he stepped inside. Jason followed on his heels and had his nose in the air. Ralph left the front door open and checked to make sure that it wouldn’t close behind him. He wanted to make sure that he had an escape route if anything went wrong.
“Hello. Where are you?” Ralph called. He stood just inside the door and looked around. He was facing a short hallway which ended in a closed door. Open doorways on the left and right were situated about half way down the hall.
The voice called from a room on the left. “Who is it?”
Ralph stepped further into the house and the sickeningly familiar odor of rotten food washed over him. He walked the short distance down the hall and turned to the left and entered the room. The first thing he saw was a large parrot in a huge cage. The parrot peered at him and bobbed its head.
“Come in, who is it?”
Ralph stared in amazement as the large parrot spoke. He turned to go and the parrot squawked. There was no food or water in the cage. Ralph looked around and found a large box of bird food on a small table. He filled the bird’s dish and it attacked the food. It was making some small noises as it wolfed down the seeds. Ralph wondered how long it had been without food. He was amazed that it had survived. The water dish was dry and he carried it thru the room and toward the back of the house. He found the kitchen and without thinking, walked over to the sink and turned on the water faucet. Cool clear water gushed out and he filled the parrot’s bowl. He carried the bowl back to the parrot and placed it in his cage. The parrot immediately hopped from the food dish to the water and began drinking. Over half of the seed was either gone or strewn across the bottom of the cage. Ralph filled the dish again and watched the parrot.
“I’ll bet that water tastes good.” Ralph said to the bird as he watched him drink.
Like a slap in the face, it hit him. The water worked! He rushed back to the kitchen and turned the faucet on, again cool water gushed forth. He turned the tap to hot but the water remained cold.
“There’s no power stupid. Of course there’s no hot water.”
A faint iron smell reached him and he brought the water to his nose. The iron smell was stronger and he noticed the sink was stained a light red. He took a drink and it tasted delicious.
“Fresh
“I’m just about ready to do that myself.” Ralph said as he watched Jason frolic. With a sigh, he turned back to the windmill and the house below. This hill was one of the highest points around and he had a good view of the surrounding countryside. The windmill appeared to be very old, but was in good condition. Someone had evidently been taking good care of it. Ralph walked back down the hill and returned to the barn and then into the yard. The chickens watched him warily and they scattered as Jason bounded out of the barn. He ran through the chickens but didn’t chase them. Ralph stood and looked around again. The more he looked, the better he liked this place. Ralph approached the house and stepped onto the large front porch. He rapped the front door.
“Anyone home?” he called.
After a couple of weeks of not seeing another person, Ralph didn’t expect any answer and when a voice called “Who is it?” from inside the house, his heart leapt into his throat.
“My name is Ralph Bannister. Are you alright? I haven’t seen another soul for a week. Do you know what happened?” he asked frantically.
The reply floated from inside. ”Who is it?”
“I just told you my name is Ralph Bannister. Can I come in?” he asked.
“Come in, come in.” the voice called.
Unsure of what awaited him, Ralph clutched the riot gun tightly. The front door opened easily and he stepped inside. Jason followed on his heels and had his nose in the air. Ralph left the front door open and checked to make sure that it wouldn’t close behind him. He wanted to make sure that he had an escape route if anything went wrong.
“Hello. Where are you?” Ralph called. He stood just inside the door and looked around. He was facing a short hallway which ended in a closed door. Open doorways on the left and right were situated about half way down the hall.
The voice called from a room on the left. “Who is it?”
Ralph stepped further into the house and the sickeningly familiar odor of rotten food washed over him. He walked the short distance down the hall and turned to the left and entered the room. The first thing he saw was a large parrot in a huge cage. The parrot peered at him and bobbed its head.
“Come in, who is it?”
Ralph stared in amazement as the large parrot spoke. He turned to go and the parrot squawked. There was no food or water in the cage. Ralph looked around and found a large box of bird food on a small table. He filled the bird’s dish and it attacked the food. It was making some small noises as it wolfed down the seeds. Ralph wondered how long it had been without food. He was amazed that it had survived. The water dish was dry and he carried it thru the room and toward the back of the house. He found the kitchen and without thinking, walked over to the sink and turned on the water faucet. Cool clear water gushed out and he filled the parrot’s bowl. He carried the bowl back to the parrot and placed it in his cage. The parrot immediately hopped from the food dish to the water and began drinking. Over half of the seed was either gone or strewn across the bottom of the cage. Ralph filled the dish again and watched the parrot.
“I’ll bet that water tastes good.” Ralph said to the bird as he watched him drink.
Like a slap in the face, it hit him. The water worked! He rushed back to the kitchen and turned the faucet on, again cool water gushed forth. He turned the tap to hot but the water remained cold.
“There’s no power stupid. Of course there’s no hot water.”
A faint iron smell reached him and he brought the water to his nose. The iron smell was stronger and he noticed the sink was stained a light red. He took a drink and it tasted delicious.
“Fresh
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