Chapter Seventeen - Lean Times

Jerome was starting to struggle with the mounting bills. That family 'donation' was dwindling fast and his 'dream job', elusive as ever. He didn't dare ask for more money from his family. It would have meant proving them all right.

He wasn't cut out to live independently. But he had to prove to them that he could. There was no way he was going back to the homestead with his tail tucked neatly between his legs.

He had to admit, sitting daydreaming and chasing bugs soon lost it's sheen and the cupboards were beginning to look bare. His lean muscular body becoming leaner as time went on.

Trouble was, he didn't have the heart in him to stick at anything. As soon as he started a project, he soon lost interest in it.



Buying the robot crafting machine had been a bad move. He thrilled at the idea of turning little cranks and beating out small sheets of metal. But it was a '5' minute wonder, destined to sit in the corner gathering dust.

Besides, there was only so much time you could spend, playing with a toy robot before boredom set in.


His stomach rumbled aggressively as he tried to watch the huge wide screen tv.

Even the sound of a passing wolf, hawking up the remainder of it's dinner on his lawn, didn't distract him this time.



Gone was the prophecy of the old gypsy woman, as harsh reality took precedence instead.

Sighing heavily, he decided once and for all. It was time to get a roomie in.
Posting an ad in the local paper was a mighty struggle, as it took a sizeable chunk out of his depleting budget, but he was hopeful that some good would come from it.



Luckily, posting an ad online wasn't quite as expensive as he soon found out.

Days passed without a single reply. The only sign of life outside, were a few wandering wolves that decided his driveway was a playground.



He became despondent. If nobody replied, then he'd be forced to sell some of his most treasured possessions.


Then one day, it happened. Just as he was lighting the last of the wood he'd collected from one of his 'wanderings', he heard an unfamiliar sound.
The sound of approaching footsteps. Peering out of the window, he saw a pensive looking young man, hovering at the front gate, a newspaper in his hand.



At first glance, Nathan Summers looked lost, then bemused. As if this house shouldn't really be here, at the bottom of this secluded lane. He also looked pretty much confused too, staring up at the neat looking house with it's perfectly manicured gardens and swept pavements.


Surely this house wasn't owned by a man? It was far too neat. It was from a storybook really, with smoke coming from the chimney.

He half expected Hansel & Gretel to come skipping out of the front door.

Perhaps the owner was gay? It was obviously far too tidy otherwise. Not that Nathan was bothered really. All he was interested in, was a roof over his head and food on the table.
After all, he wasn't intending to stay indoors all the time.....

.... he had a busy social life to keep up.

Obviously he hadn't realised that Jerome had had too much time on his hands and kept a tight ship. Also, Jerome's family has a history of being in the military, and that kinda rubbed off on him and his attention to detail.


With a tentative step, he rapped lightly on the door and entered......