I once again apologize that the previous chapter as well as this is rather short. But I will say that I warned you! )
Mr. Barrie's maid walked in, "Good morning, Sir," The man jumped again
fearing that yet another character was coming into his strange nightmare. "May I get you anything for breakfast?" He turned to see the woman, "No, thank you," He rubbed his throbbing head. "I'll get something a little later."
James' thoughts drifted back to his wife again.
"She's already gone, mate." The slurred voice somehow comforted.
"I know," He sighed. There was a brief moment of silence, but it was soon brought to an end.
"Besides, you can't have your family hanging over you and like an old, dead goose. It would ruin your already hopeless career!"
James shook himself out of his daze, realizing who he was taking advice from and went downstairs to the kitchen.
"You're not going to eat that are you?" He began pouring the fruity o's into a bowl. "Do you have any idea what breakfast cereal's made of? It's those little curly wood shavings you find in pencil sharpeners."
The comment triggered thoughts of his father. Images of a white headed man with a beard burst into his already crowded mind. His father, the dentist, took great pride in his work. He would often lecture his son about proper nutrition and oral hygiene. Poor James was deprived of his favorite treats as a child, which often labeled him as the social outcast. His father would seem cruel in the eyes of any child- like most dentists- but deep down he loved his son, whether he showed it openly or not.
James, realizing his bowl was about to spill over, stopped pouring the cereal and
began evening out the portion. Porthos the dog sat down at his side. The animal seemed to be his closest and only friend at the moment—or at least that appeared in the room.
"What are you looking at?" Porthos cocked his furry head and stuck out his panting tongue. "You like my stories, don't you Porthos?" The dog snorted, stretched and left the room. "Some fan club." He sighed. Porthos began barking from the hallway around the corner and Mr. Barrie got up to see what was causing the stir. "You want to go for a walk, boy?" Porthos barked in return and James attached the leash that hung from the dog's mouth.