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The Journals of Raymond Brooks 91

CHAPTER VIII

The Life of Raymond Brooks

Raymond and I lived in Northwood Forest; a vast woods
ranging from the Channel near Drentwych to the old western
borders of Wessex; to the north it expanded and separated us
from the Scots. The trees closer to our settlements were rather
small, for the local population often harvested timber as close
as possible to home. Wood-theft was also a widespread crime

amongst the various lumberjacks. This is why Raymond had
chosen to travel deeper into the forest to harvest one of the
larger, older trees. Raymond’s cabin was quite large relative
to the neighboring homes; it equaled the size of three hovels
merged together into one. When I inquired as to why his cabin
was so big, he said that he liked his space. But there was more
to it than that, I reasoned. My guess was that he had a large

family once upon a time and that they all had left, each in his
turn, leaving him alone in his venerable age. He was a very
fatherly figure, and I could well imagine him with scores of