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.357Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqo8HIhlQfI
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. 357Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJRxbvSfDIf
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. 357Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNcsh449dcQ
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. 357Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCVe11V79aM
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.357Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9wlE2P1AYt
The smoke wafted in the air, leaving a very strong smell of wood burning, from the sheets.357Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdrky6ONagn
“I hope you’re burning these items safely. Fires are a dangerous tool, Mari.”357Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtVWGSfJV73
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.357Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwuMJsXZNQv
“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.357Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfcaQFEYsP3
“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.357Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFicYVuQ0X3
“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.”357Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU6zJR15gUn
He grinned and looked at the burning pile. “It’s been forever. Centuries in dog years.”357Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsY3QHvd6vw
“Five times seven is not centuries.” 357Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDRMgZSe1pY
“35 years in cat years is centuries.”357Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVHIyLA4VA1
She snorted and looked hugged his arm. “If my house wasn’t so dilapidated, I’d offer you a shower.”357Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd1VFBw3BOu
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.”357Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmj2XanU3j6
The two just teased each other and after a while, the two were sitting in comfortable silence. “How has your mom been?”357Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2Chags3I7f
“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.357Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvCLmFTZVA7
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.”357Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk9MNjf1ejR
“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?”357Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwVYX9eDzPn
Marissa shrugged. “I suppose not. I’ll visit your mom though.”357Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMOqGxz4v3U
“She’ll probably snare you with dinner, for memories and catching up. Now, do you need help with anything, Mari?”357Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfb3nrSTziw
“Unless you and your carpenter friends can fix up the house, no?”357Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX1V7ZKEOrr
“Sounds like an invitation. All I ask is for dinner. What are your plans for tonight?”357Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmdQLqGoIuL
“Getting some sheets for curtains and the bed?”357Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmKdzji8ZNm
He beamed like a child seeing the dream bike he wanted for Christmas. “Ma has curtains and sheets. Come down for dinner.” 357Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGXV2G7g6wA
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. 357Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQXI0Z9Qo2i
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~~357Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsewoIkrozB
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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 management357Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8HYbbfSowo
