Guest Post: Chris Campbell

Chris is one of my friends in my writing group. He graciously agreed to be my first guest post. Thanks, Chris!  



                                  The Night Before Christmas

It was the night before Christmas, dry and cold with a thick ground frost, despite the relatively early hour of 10pm. Steven, an elderly man was taking the family dog for its usual evening walk before retiring to bed. The dog was only small but liked to run free in the
woods and fields near their home. On the homeward stretch, Steven turned into a dark alley that was a shortcut to their home.

Often the dog balked at this point as it was not particularly fond of the dark, however, on this occasion, the dog trotted happily into the alley at the end of an extending lead. As they rounded a bend in the alleyway, Steven had a distinct impression that he was
being followed, he looked over his shoulder, slightly alarmed as the alley was dark and could be a mugger’s paradise, but there was no one there.

The dog trotted on quite happily oblivious to the deep cold from the frost covered ground. On the final uphill stretch of the alleyway, the dog stopped and turned to look at Steven. It
Gave a small woof and sat down, looking over Steven`s shoulder. He bent down to pat the dog which promptly tried to clamber up into his arms. Steven crouched down and spoke to the dog softly, then went to pick it up. As he straightened up, he felt something brush past his face. Thinking it was probably some night time insect he absently ran his hand over his face.

The dog gave another small woof and carried on wagging its tail.
As Steven stood up with the dog in his arms, his nose caught a scent which brought back childhood memories of his mother, who had been dead for very many years, 4-7-11 Eau de cologne. He remembered his mother using that scent daily and when she had one of her migraines, soaking a handkerchief with it and putting on her forehead. The memory brought a small tear to his eye as he remembered times long past. The dog was still perched on his
shoulder, still wagging its tail. A few more steps along the alleyway and once again something brushed past his face, and the scent of the Eau de cologne faded to be replaced by one of Brylcream which his father had used lots of when Steven was a child.

The dog woofed again and gazed at Steven as if to say “don’t worry, it's fine”. By the time Steven and the dog had reached the end of the alleyway and turned into the car park near their home, the twin memory evoking scents had faded and all was normal.

The dog wriggled to be put down again and then trotted off once again at the end of its extending lead. Steven felt relaxed and peaceful after his encounter and thought that maybe it would be a good Christmas this year.

Chris Campbell 2013
Chrisjocampbell64@yahoo.com