The night went relatively smooth. Many would pin the night in the graveyard as a night plagued with nightmares. She didn’t get nightmares at her grandfather’s house though. Not even with the hole in the ceiling. Not with the moth-eaten curtain and blanket. Not even with the fading colors of the walls.207Please respect copyright.PENANAgDterqXG9C
She dreamt of her grandpa, kneeling in the well-trimmed grass, cleaning the tombstones. He told stories of God and the Goddess, heavily worshipped deity of an alternate reality. Marissa sat in the grass, watching him and listening to the story intently, in her younger kid's body. She smiled and asked questions, which she answered. Now that she was awake though, she couldn’t remember the questions off-hand. 207Please respect copyright.PENANA4FzV6sWq1F
Today, Mar had to clean up the house, but she would start with her room since that’s where she was sleeping. She couldn’t work if she didn’t sleep well. Sleep was essential. 207Please respect copyright.PENANAHtNopvvoSL
Webb took down the ruined curtains and unmade the bed, throwing the ruined fabric on the bed. Getting a broom, she swept up the room. Dust and debris flew in the hair, causing her to cough and grab her stomach from the heavy cough. Her nose ran as her allergies acted up. Needing to leave the room, she gathered the sheets and walked outside. The smell of fresh air and blooming flowers filled the air, quite the opposite of the musty room. She couldn’t help but smile and take in the sun. Even though the town was surrounded by fog, the village had beautiful weather. You could see the fog on the faint horizon. 207Please respect copyright.PENANAop7ZO0bhJj
Carrying the sheets, she walked to a pillar and knelt down. Since they didn’t have garbage trucks to dispose of the garbage, they would typically burn most items. Marissa placed the fabrics on the pillar and lit the pile on fire with a match her grandfather kept relatively close.207Please respect copyright.PENANAdMQKSH1NZb
The smoke wafted in the air, leaving a very strong smell of wood burning, from the sheets.207Please respect copyright.PENANAe2dFJEZhol
“I hope you’re burning these items safely. Fires are a dangerous tool, Mari.”207Please respect copyright.PENANAnrQu7qJYfm
Marissa recognizes that tone. Jensen Hamilton. Her old friend and her ex-boyfriend. The two never broke it off because of hatred towards one another. They were just going a different path. He, working to provide for his mother. Marissa, exploring life. The two had very different ideologies. One wanted to settle down. One wanted to go out and live life.207Please respect copyright.PENANAHwbyBjwbl6
“Is it, Mr. Hamilton? I think I’m quite aware of the dangerous property of fire.” She was then lifted in the air and hugged tightly. Black coal dust painted her skin. He smelled like labor and the mines.207Please respect copyright.PENANA4b6Ed9lc3V
“I missed you, Mari. God, I missed you. How have you’ve been? What was it like? Did you meet anyone special?” He was rambling about more questions but the lack of oxygen flowing through her brain because of the bear hug made her unable to breathe.207Please respect copyright.PENANAxefZsY7gSU
“Can’t…breathe.” She said in between gasps and he dropped her. It wasn’t a far drop due to him not being much taller than her. “To answer your question, yes.”207Please respect copyright.PENANAXxyVFZCcKM
He grinned and looked at the burning pile. “It’s been forever. Centuries in dog years.”207Please respect copyright.PENANAQOO2tJdfh5
“Five times seven is not centuries.” 207Please respect copyright.PENANAlYYhGrW42x
“35 years in cat years is centuries.”207Please respect copyright.PENANAVVvDtkzVlb
She snorted and looked hugged his arm. “If my house wasn’t so dilapidated, I’d offer you a shower.”207Please respect copyright.PENANAtzmfjZPWN3
Knitting brows in confusion, she looked at him. “What’s a shower?” Modernism typically didn’t play a big role in this role. She just shook her head and smirked. “Are you saying I smell? This is what hard work does? Smelliness.”207Please respect copyright.PENANAubc6FQDTDm
The two just teased each other and after a while, the two were sitting in comfortable silence. “How has your mom been?”207Please respect copyright.PENANAH4fvh8nCO8
“You know mom. ‘You need a suitable wife and give me grandbabies’…She thought you and I were going to make her grandbabies.” He looked to the horizon of well-polished headstones.207Please respect copyright.PENANAn8L3uoIM0u
Marissa snorted. “Really? Well, that’s the equivalent of being in love with me. Is she still running the butcher shop? I suppose I should have food. This place is probably going to last a lot longer than I can without food. I have to hope that my Grandfather has money saved away. I don’t want to go to my parents.”207Please respect copyright.PENANAPrLNtrymx9
“Your parents never hated you, they miss you even. They just became more reclusive. More so than usual. But don’t worry about paying, most of the stores are honoring what you’re doing. Tom may be a bit difficult, along with a few of the older people. Saying it’s your fault for the death of your grandfather.” He raised his hand before she could interject. “It’s not. It’s not your fault. If he blamed you, you think he would have given you the place versus his son and mother-in-law?”207Please respect copyright.PENANAXWazYwrznG
Marissa shrugged. “I suppose not. I’ll visit your mom though.”207Please respect copyright.PENANAI6d6n5mqeX
“She’ll probably snare you with dinner, for memories and catching up. Now, do you need help with anything, Mari?”207Please respect copyright.PENANA9sfQ7YSpCk
“Unless you and your carpenter friends can fix up the house, no?”207Please respect copyright.PENANAYz0vbUtOsw
“Sounds like an invitation. All I ask is for dinner. What are your plans for tonight?”207Please respect copyright.PENANA2i948Mrq89
“Getting some sheets for curtains and the bed?”207Please respect copyright.PENANAoPky3pC3Mw
He beamed like a child seeing the dream bike he wanted for Christmas. “Ma has curtains and sheets. Come down for dinner.” 207Please respect copyright.PENANAH7FgtTo1sP
Before she could say no, he waved and walked away. She yelled at him but all she got was the crackling of the dying fire. She extinguished the fire and exhaled slowly. The ashes flew in the wind and she closed her eyes. Already, the town was excited to have her, granted Tom and his elderly posy. 207Please respect copyright.PENANACjr70CJx2S
Marissa looked in the distance where the dead were buried and saw a familiar apparition. She could see a smile, then the figure disappeared. “I love you too, Grandpappy.”
~~Author's Note~~207Please respect copyright.PENANAqTRCuMLHSn
207Please respect copyright.PENANAWYYZjoYcyT
Sorry. It has been longer than two weeks. College, work, and overall life has been busy. Hopefully, it won't happen again and I'll have a better time management207Please respect copyright.PENANABe5dVQdvCc