7 of 62

Write now Article Tools

"Thirty bloody years as an accountant, and for what? It's all been a bloody waste." John Landen angrily threw the letter onto his desk and slumped back in the chair with his eyes closed. A tear escaped down his cheek, but he did not seem to notice. He got up and went across to the window.

Rochester-upon-Medway was a historical town situated on the banks of the river Medway, located in the south east of England. Its most notable claim to fame was that it had once been home to the celebrated author Charles Dickens, an event remembered annually on Dickens's day, when the majority of the residents would dress in the nineteenth century styles worn in Dickens time and celebrate the life of the city's most famous son. Many landmark buildings throughout the town had been immortalised in the Dickens novels, including the Royal Victoria and Bull hotel, which featured in 'Great Expectations' and Chertsey's Gate, brought to the attention of the reader in 'The Mystery of Edwin Drood'. Indeed Dickens had almost been responsible for making Rochester a popular tourist attraction. With the demise of its military importance, Dickens and the tourism the author attracted was now heavily relied upon for filling the city coffers. Most of the residents were commuters, who vacated the city in the early hours on the morning for their jobs in London, returning late at night when most commercial activity in Rochester had ended for the day. It was these commuters that Landen now gazed down upon from his office window.

John Landen would not see the better side of fifty again. He stood about five foot nine, although he appeared shorter than that due to a slight stoop, which made him appear that he had the weight of the world on his shoulders, perhaps a statement that was not too distant from the truth. His hair was a dirty gray colour with strands of black serving as a reminder of his youth, and was receding into a widow's peak. His face had the gaunt and ashen look of one who had spent far too much time indoors and devoted an excess of energy to solving other people's problems. He had been an accountant for longer that he cared to remember, made his way up through the hierarchy of the profession until he had finally achieved a position where he had been able to purchase a partnership in a local practice. Over the years as older partners had retired he had gradually taken over the reins entirely. Although the business had shrunk as there were less people in the business to take

• 1
• 2
• 3
• next page >>

Add your voice

Know something about Novel excerpts: When life fell apart?
We want to hear your view. Write now!