Premonitions be dammed

The color of the sky meant that a storm was coming, and I started to prepare for the worst. I had experienced premonitions lately and to my surprise, they have been coming true which frightened me.

I have felt like something odd was going to happen either to myself or to someone I knew. I woke up with a start very early and knew that today was going to be difficult. I live alone in a small stone cottage in Cotswold England. I had moved from the states nearly 5 years ago to work independently on my travels and the peace and quiet I had always yearned for was found.

Other than the weather starting to turn, I couldn't shake the feeling that I was being watched. I lived in an area surrounded by gardens and a small gate in front and was fenced in all around for privacy and security, yet I didn't feel 100% safe.

I spent a good deal of time sitting at my favorite old desk and comfy chair with a cup of tea and a plate of English jam tarts to sweeten the mood. The rooms were small, yet comfortable enough for just me and my 2 cats, Salem and Stormy.

I decided to go out of my humble abode and go into town for some much-needed groceries and treats for my cats. I made my way out of my long driveway in my MINI Hatch and carefully drove on the narrow road, barely missing a huge pothole that came out of nowhere. I swerved around it just in time and before I knew it, I was near the local Farmers Market. I took my time selecting the best produce and meat I could afford along with treats for my beloved pets. I was packing up the car when I noticed a man staring at me. I wondered if I knew him, but before I could get the courage to approach him, he went into the market. I began to feel that this was a warning as I began to feel dizzy and had to sit down, so I sat in my car for a while, and tried to regain composure before I headed home.

I somehow felt good enough to start the car and made my way out of the drive towards home, when I noticed there was a car that was following me. To suffice, this is a road usually driven by the locals and this man seemed out of place to me. I couldn't tell if it was my imagination or not. Also, since I was not a regular patron and I normally shopped every two weeks or so, he could have lived nearby, but my gut was saying something else.

I drove to the local Constable so that I could know for sure if I was truly being followed. I pulled in and almost ran into the office where an officer took my shaky statement. He tried calming me down, but I couldn't stop shaking fast enough. He said that without the make and model of the car of a clear description of the suspect, there was little he could do to protect me.

I left in a huff and hopped back in my little car and drove home, but still sensed I was being watched. I didn't see the same car behind me, but that didn't quell my uneasiness at all.

I got in and put away the food and gave treats to my cats and they were quite happy and strolled back towards the warm fireplace.

I tried to relax with a calming tea, Chamomile to be exact.

I stretched out and changed into more comfortable loungewear and sat at my desk and tried to get back into my story but couldn't shake the feeling that I wasn't alone and that is unnerving.

I checked all rooms of the cottage, and the windows were secure and I was all alone, aside from my cats, so I should have felt better, but didn't. I decided to lie on my sofa with my latest thriller and try to forget about what I had gone through and that almost worked for a while, but when I noticed my cats starting to stare at the front door and meowing in a tone I hadn't heard, I slowly made my way and peeked out the peep hole and saw the same man that was looking at me at the local market place.

He was about the knock on my door, and I ran and hid in the kitchen as I didn't know what to do! I reached for the nearest weapon I could find, and that was my old broom. I felt silly for grabbing it, but I didn't want to expose myself by reaching for something sharper. Thankfully my blinds and curtains were drawn so that I could slyly peek out to see what he looked like.

He appeared to be quite tall, over 6 feet, 2 inches and quite fit from what I could determine. He was holding a parcel in his hands claiming that he was a solicitor, and he had some important paperwork that I needed to sign. I was so nervous that I could barely speak and finally said, "Could you please show me some ID"?

He nodded and carefully slid his card under my door, and he said it was about an inheritance. I still didn't want to believe him, so I said to please leave your name and number, and I will contact the authorities and make sure this is real.

He understood and hastily wrote out his name and number and I quickly picked up my phone and called and was told by the receptionist, that he was indeed proper, and I should have accepted the parcel.

I felt ashamed, and decided to have him return with the parcel and I would sit down and calmly sign any forms needed for this sudden inheritance. I had no idea I was fortunate enough to receive any funds, let alone something maybe quite grand?

All in all, things did happen to go much more smoothly after that and I signed all the documents that I learned I was a distant relative of a long-forgotten uncle who had decided that I was the one and only member of my small family to receive anything ever.

I had to wait six months, but after everything was completed, I felt the need to explore more of this world we live in and knew this was my next chapter in my life and I will be forever grateful to the wary stranger I had met merely six months ago who was now a friend.

I never had those odd feelings anymore and my writing had begun to get much better and I started to focus on what I wanted to do next and that involved photography. I had been wanting to take on something new and since I had recently retired, felt it was the right thing to do.