The Days of Love and all That Followed

This is an excerpt from Part 2 of my illustrated story “The Days of Love and all That Followed” and this sneaky fellow is Fear, brought brilliantly to life by the talented Ben Whittard.

“Where are you going” Said a familiar voice

For a long drive

My axles are rusted firm

“Didn’t you used to work with Pete the Painter?”

Yes Pete

Retired in May

I remember when he first picked me up from the garage, my coat shining and new

“I heard he was arrested for no tax or MOT”

Well times are tough, people can’t afford to eat

With Cruelty and his mob sitting on the throne

Things are fading away

I used to be white as snow

Now look at me

I ain’t got no wheels

“Rusty old van don’t weep oil”

I can’t help it

I know it’s the tip for me

Ain’t no use in denying it

“Do you remember Nature and her kind caress?” The voice gently cooed

No me old mucker

I just remember mileage

Jobs in Milton Keynes

Not being able to start on really cold days

And expense claims

I remember

Disposable coffee cups on my dash

Fries and soft drinks

Mucky pictures in the tabloid press

I remember off colour jokes

And paint and supplies

Smiling to herself the voice sang a tune “Ah well, Nature was nice

and friends with the Sigh, tell your friends, but whisper it quiet,

we’ll all be back very soon”

The van began to cry, real tears this time, made of citrus and lime. In the fog of his engine he did remember, an image returned. And across the cracked concrete ruins of life a scrap of paper flew. It was an old edition of The Daily Rant, not a nice paper but times had changed. On the back was a delicate scrawl, some kind of prophecy I guess, and this is what it said;

The wind howls over deserted car parks, abandoned washing machines are plotting revenge, Pestilence and Greed’s plans gone astray. Arrogance is thinking of bringing Cruelty down. But in the shadows in between the cracks in the wall, something is growing ever so small. A shoot of recovery a hint of green, reaching out to where the sun used to be. “They are coming” is whispered on the wind, “they are coming to bring back a kingdom of joy”.

Sigh, Love, even The Wicked Divorce, have summoned up an army of sorts. They’ve joined with Hope, Future and Father Sunshine to banish the shadows and return to the days of Love.

©John de Gruyther & Ben Whittard 2014

“The Days of Love and all That Followed” is an illustrated story that I am currently writing. I hope to bring you some more news and maybe some pictures very soon. Meanwhile why don’t you read another small extract from Part One – The Greatest Love Of All