Prologue Ok. So I'm thinking about writing a sequel to my novel, Stan. Here is the prologue of what i have so far. Would love any comments to help me on my way. Thank you. --------------------------------------- Eli sat on his couch. Put his feet up on his old coffee table, and opened his can of beer. It had been a hard day, and he deserved the frosty beverage. He picked up the remote on the cushion beside him, and switched the TV on. Some stupid talk show was on. Eli didn't mind though. It was just background noise. He took another swig of his beer, and let out a large sigh. Todays work had tired him out completely. He yawned and scratched at his crotch. He knew he should really have something to eat, but far to tired to cook. He could always order in. But at the same time, that seemed like too much hassle also. Besides. His work wasn't quite finished yet, and he really wanted it done before he went to bed. Food would just distract him. He put his feet down, and stood up. Beer can still in hand. He rubbed his eyes. He had been up since 4am, and it was now 10pm. He knew he would sleep like a log later. He walked from his lounge to the kitchen. He took another large swig from the beer can. Draining it. He crushed it with one hand and tossed it into the bin. Opening the fridge he took out another. Something in the fridge stank. He made a mental note to find out what tomorrow and throw it. He suspected it was the left-over chinese from a few days ago. Closing the fridge door he walked out the side door to the garage. He dug through a tool box. Picking up a wrench he smiled and closed the tool box. He flicked off the light as he walked out into the night air. It was warm. He could feel the warmth of the air around him, like a blanket. He loved summer nights. The smell of the grass and night air he found wonderful. It reminded him a lot of his child hood. Staying up late in the summer and keeping out as late as his mother would let him. Climbing trees, fishing in the old creek, building camps on the lake side. Summer was by far his favorite month. The only thing missing from his childhood this evening was the smell of barbeque. To this day, he has never tasted anything as good as his fathers barbeque. He had tried to replicate it a million times. Following his fathers instructions to the letter. But not once had he matched his fathers efforts. He thought it was the actual barbeque that let him down. But his father told him never to blame his tools. Sadly his father had died two years ago. Taking his secret to the most perfect barbeque with him. Eli missed his father enormously. But at the same time knew he was smiling down on him. Wherever he is now. Eli crossed his lawn and reached his medium sized shed. Made of shiplap with a slate roof. Quite a sturdy little out building. He slipped the key into the lock and unlocked the door. He didn't really need to lock it. His nearest neighbor was five miles away and the road outside his property had very little traffic. Sometimes he wouldn't see anyone else for a couple of days. He actually quite liked being so secluded. He liked to keep himself to himself. The way he figured it, why would anyone be bothered about his business anyway. He was a middle aged single man. He blended into a crowd and lived a very hum-drum #life. There had be women in the past. But Eli shied away from commitment. Women soon got bored with him not wanting to take their relationship to the next level. He wasn't too bothered. He liked to be alone. He found his company much more entertaining. The only thing he missed every so often was the sex. And there are ways and means of satisfying those urges. He opened the door to the shed. Walking in he flicked the light on. Inside was an amazingly clean work space. Each tool in its right place. Either hanging on the wall, or in the correct draw of the tool chest. His work bench was metal. Shining in the light. Not a mark on it. He always thought that a clean bench was a sign of an uncluttered mind. He picked up a length of four by two. Taking a tape measure from the draw, and a pencil from behind his ear. He carefully measured out and marked the wood. "Measure twice and cut once." His wood work teacher had always told him. Good advice that he had always remembered. Suddenly there was a crash from outside. It made Eli jump. He put the pencil back behind his ear and went back outside. It was dark. But the lights on the side of the shed illuminated a fair size area. Nervously Eli looked around. He could see that some empty paint tins under the shed's window had been disturbed. Looking around a little more, he could make out the bush just outside the range of the shed's lighting shaking slightly. As if something was hiding within. Eli reached behind the door of the shed and took hold of his fathers old shot gun. He hated guns. With a passion. But at this moment in time, he was almost glad he had one. Raising it so he could see down the sight, he called out. "Who's there? Come on, show yourself." The rustling stopped at the sound of his voice. Eli edged closer to the bush. "Come on now, I don't want to hurt you." He said in the direction of the bush. Again. Just a stillness. Eli stooped down and took a pebble from the dirt. He tossed it into the bush. Suddenly there was movement. As the pebble touched the bush something made a run for it. Eli took aim and fired. The noise of the shot gun cracked though the night air. Then silence again. Slowly Eli made his way forward, gun still raised. As he got closer he lowered his gun. Through the murky dark he could make out the outline. A jack rabbit. Eli smiled. That's dinner for tomorrow sorted he thought. He bent down and picked the rabbit up. Carrying it back into the shed. He laid a plastic bag on the work bench and placed the rabbit on the bag. Walking back to the door he placed the gun back where he had picked it up from and closed the door. He turned back to the wood on the work bench when he heard a whimper. A little taken back, Eli stared at the rabbit laying dead beside him as if it had made the noise. He heard it again. This time it certainly didn't come from the rabbit. Eli looked around the shed, and walked over to one corner. It seemed like a large box was covered in a sheet. Eli bent down to the boxes level and waited. Then the whimper came again. Eli reached down and grabbed one corner of the sheeting. Pulling it back quickly exposing what was behind it. Under the sheeting was a medium sized metal cage. The kind you would keep a dog in. Inside the cage was a small boy. Aged no more then twelve. The sight of Eli had the boy rush to the back of the cage. Pushing his body back against the metal as far as it would go. His eyes wide with terror. "Well fuck it." Eli said. "I guess all that noise woke you up. Well no matter. I'm almost ready for you." Eli smiled and licked his lips. Tears started to well in the young boys eyes. Eli whipped the sheet back down and covered the cage again. He picked up his saw and started at the wood. The quicker he was done, the quicker he could satisfy his urges and the quicker he could do that, then the quicker he could sleep. He sawed away at the four by two. Drowning out the crying coming from behind the sheet and trying to ignore the huge hard on that he currently had in his jeans.