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byChrisUnderwoodCOMPETITIONWinnerashortstoryangledinbriarsasunforgivingasrazorwireliesamobilephonethereatthetopofOneTreeHill.BlackglassincongruousrightwhereitlandedtwentyfeetorsofromthestonepedestalwithitsetchedguidetotheLondonskyline.Askylinewhichthroughgapsintheancienttreesshimmersinthedistance.ItrstrangcheerfullyatmiddaymockingthelocalbirdswithitspiezoelectricMozartsymphony.Itrangagainhalfanhourlaterandthenagainfteenminutesafterthat.Forashortwhileitfellsilentandthenitrangagainatirregularintervalsbeforefallingsilentagain.Nowasthecolouroftheskystartschangingtoamoreluxurianthueandthegapsbetweenthetreesturninkyblackitisringingagain.Asidefromthecrackoftwigsandtheghostvoicesintheleavesitistheonlysound.ItmakestoobrashanoiseforanOctoberduskonadesertedhillside.DarrenBrookshateshisdamnedjobandfranklyhedoesntcarewhoknowsitwellapartfromLynnehislinemanagerheputsonhisworkfaceforheronly.GiventhathisentiredayisspenteldingverbalabusefromtotalstrangersthisattitudeisnotunreasonablehebadlyneedsthemoneythoughandhisidiotfriendStevetoldhimthatitwouldprobablybeprettycushy.JamesEdwardshateshisjobtoobutforentirelydifferentreasons.HedalwaysbeenabletochannelhisdefaultstateofhighanxietyintoaforceforgoodatleastwhenatworkbutnowasHeadofStrategyhedbeenhandedwhatwhisperersintheofcehadbeencallingapoisonedchalicewhichhethoughtwasarathertheatricalwayofsayingacrappyjobthatnooneelsewantedtodo-howcouldheturnitdownthoughespeciallyonthatkindofmoney.ItdidnthelpthathisrelationshipwithMariawasontherockstoputitmildlyalthoughhedagreedthatareconciliationweekendawaywasagoodidea.AsJamesEdwardsnewrolehadprogressedwithnewresponsibilitiesfoisteduponhimalmostdailyithadbecomeincreasinglyapparentthatwhatwasbeingaskedofhimwasanalmostimpossibletask.Thisrealisationmadehimstressedgavehimeczemaandoflatecausedhimtomisskeymeetingsandappointmentswithsomeregularity.SometimeswhenhehadameetingheparticularlyfearedhewouldmakehisexcusesandinsteadtakethetraintoHonorOakwalkinguptheagstonestepstothetopofOneTreeHillpufngandpantingashewentalwayswithanaggingfearthathemaysuddenlybegrippedbyheartfailureanddropdowndeadhisbodylaidtheretorestcushionedinthewetbracken.WouldthatreallybesobadhewouldthinktohimselfIlikeituphereitssoneartoallthemadnessandyetsopeacefulandremovedfromitIdratherendmydaysherethanlassoedtosomedripinabeditwasthisthoughtthatusuallyhelpedcalmhispalpitations.MariaEdwardshiswifewastomeethimatPaddingtonattwooclockforthetwofteentraintoSwansea.TheretheywouldchangeforatraintoPembroke.ShehadlovedJamesverymuchforverymanyyearsbuthisincreasinglyerraticbehaviourhadmadeithardforhertorelyonhimassheusedtodoshewasgettingtiredofbeingletdownsheneverseemedtoknowwherehewasorwhathewasuptothesedayslateattheofcetripsoutofLondonthoseendlesswalksofhishejustcouldntberelieduponanymoreandshefoundthatemotionallydraining.Ontheadviceofafriendshehadconfrontedhimaboutherconcernsandsuggestedthattheygoawaytogetherfortheweekend.Fearingheraffectionswerewaninghehadwantedtopleaseherandhadbookedtheafternoonoffworktodemonstratehiscommitmenttotheidea.TheywouldgotoPembrokeshirewheretheyrstspenttimealonetogetherallthoseyearsagotheywouldwalkalongthecoastlaughholdhandsandhewouldpointoutthedifferenttypesofseabirdastheysatwithherheadonhisshouldergazingouttowardsthecontainershipsoatingoutonthehorizon.DarrenBrooksmeanwhilewashavingaparticularlybadday.Darrenwasentirelyusedtogettingshoutedatdownthelinebuttherewassomethingparticularlyaggressiveaboutsomeoftheexpletiveswithwhichhedbeengreetedthatmorning.Hebadlyneededtondanotherjob.Sofarhehadseenjusttheoneadvertisedinthelocalpaper-anofceassistanttotakeandmakecallsforsomeonefairlyseniorinacompanyhedneverheardof-hehadalotofexperiencedealingwithpeopleoverthetelephoneandhereasonedwithhimselfthathedalmostcertainlygetthejob.SoonthatoneOctobermorningasDarrenBrookssatathisdeskthinkingabouthowhewasgoingtochangehislifeforthebetterJamesEdwardssatatthetopofOneTreeHillsurveyingthecitybelowhim.HecouldntactuallyseeitbuthecouldworkoutexactlywherehishedbeenhandedwhatwhisperersintheofcehadbeencallingapoisonedchaliceTHERIVERWINTER201415FORTHESOUL33