She finished patting the soil around the latest addition to her garden. A beautiful blue passionflower. She knew that when this one started to flower it would be yet another talking point in her neighbourhood which was already abuzz with the magnificent foliage and flowers that she produced seemingly effortlessly year after year.
Smiling with genuine pleasure she pulled herself to her feet. For the last few years, she had thrown herself into her garden and its plants even winning a local award last year for her spectacular flowering selections. Of course, none of it would bring Tom back. She grimaced at that. Rubbing an ache in the small of her back she cast a critical eye over her own little world.
The trees and shrubs surrounding her little kingdom were starting to bud with the advent of Spring and shoots were poking out of her numerous flower beds. She had spent the larger part of the morning fertilising and getting on with the work required to keep her little garden ship shape. Time for a feeding she thought.
She hefted her big tub of fertiliser up, frowning as she saw it was getting low and lugged it toward her shed. No regular shed for her it was almost a small house in its own right. She fumbled with the keys. Unlocked the top, then bottom and finally the big sliding bolt in the middle of the door. She would have to prepare more fertiliser soon.
It was her fertiliser that made her garden so lush. People didn't realise that they needed to fertilise their plants regularly to get the very best from them. She smiled in the half-light of her shed. Her fertiliser was the best that was for sure. One of her neighbours had asked what she preferred best and listed off a variety of store bought, pre-prepared solutions. No, not for her. Natural was best. But you had to choose carefully. Chicken poop pellets? No thank you. If she wanted chicken poop she would get her own chickens!
Moving right to the back of the shed she unbolted another door with a heavy key.
It was dim inside but she didn't switch on the overhead light. She knew the layout by heart. She stepped in and moved to her bench, phew it was ripe smelling in here today. Have to get the disinfectant out again. Grabbing a variety of boxes she mixed up a batch of feed. Now, where was that feeding tube? Ah, there it was. She picked it up and attached it to the plastic bag filled with the feed.
She stepped carefully to the rear wall and the thing that was shackled to it. It raised its head and feebly pointed it in her direction. It was filthy. The area it was secured in was the source of the stench in the hut. It moaned and shook its sore-covered head.
'Sssh, shhh. Don't worry. It isn't a bleeding day. I have a few pints left out front.' She leant in and grabbed the back of its filth-matted hair and deftly unfastened the crusty leather gag. 'Feeding time, though.'
It struggled weakly but was no match for her as she pulled its jaw open and forced the feeding tube expertly in past the scarred nub that remained of its tongue.
'Are you missing Marjorie Tom? Bet you never thought it would end up like this after putting your pecker in her for all those years?'
A tear tracked a clear path down its dirt-encrusted cheek. Bloodshot eyes bulging as she squeezed on the feed bulb, forcing the gruel-like mix down its neck.
'She didn't last as long as you, oh no she didn't. ' She squeezed the last of the feed in, pulling the tube out with practised efficiency. She roughly prodded its belly before putting the bulb down and placing her hands on her hips. 'Don't know how much longer you've got in you right enough. I was hoping to get another summer of blood. It's the least you could do, hmm?'
She fastened the gag and wiped her hands whilst it moaned feebly. Walking back to the door she looked over her shoulder briefly.
'I'll be needing more blood by the end of the week, I've got some azaleas coming.'