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.355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlJ8Geh355V
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. 355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe8l5AVcRdU
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. 355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSx8Z9koV9T
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. 355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5iSWRnkgCQ
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.355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEVF9bnmAQd
The smoke wafted in the air, leaving a very strong smell of wood burning, from the sheets.355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr0NTO1Hg6a
“I hope you’re burning these items safely. Fires are a dangerous tool, Mari.”355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU2IqlgMr7p
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.355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfB834gqTQV
“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.355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQNFDxMXVgR
“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.355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0UiCCre4gj
“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.”355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwHmIWaoWJL
He grinned and looked at the burning pile. “It’s been forever. Centuries in dog years.”355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmKdCR8Iax4
“Five times seven is not centuries.” 355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0GLdJ7CjT7
“35 years in cat years is centuries.”355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPSq6sNK1Vx
She snorted and looked hugged his arm. “If my house wasn’t so dilapidated, I’d offer you a shower.”355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl1H8zAyVK2
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.”355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGgQtarWN9w
The two just teased each other and after a while, the two were sitting in comfortable silence. “How has your mom been?”355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4rGZ37S2WD
“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.355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDriqn4gcaE
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.”355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeDXRYXEnK6
“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?”355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡco5wdAn9ok
Marissa shrugged. “I suppose not. I’ll visit your mom though.”355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsEO2FF1Py8
“She’ll probably snare you with dinner, for memories and catching up. Now, do you need help with anything, Mari?”355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmcE5C3ALah
“Unless you and your carpenter friends can fix up the house, no?”355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFrcoRPQ32C
“Sounds like an invitation. All I ask is for dinner. What are your plans for tonight?”355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH9yJXMXDks
“Getting some sheets for curtains and the bed?”355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡojdo8O6vjG
He beamed like a child seeing the dream bike he wanted for Christmas. “Ma has curtains and sheets. Come down for dinner.” 355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPGUGVaKnuF
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. 355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVb5fWTqYsM
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~~355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDyzU8dCG8H
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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 management355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCL7I2V5A0j
