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.351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXW9jN19aNo
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. 351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1wPNDWgaRg
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. 351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVYV4HN8zRE
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. 351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSCXMlLdj7y
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.351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhNVbsDJHUG
The smoke wafted in the air, leaving a very strong smell of wood burning, from the sheets.351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ56aS2JYWID
“I hope you’re burning these items safely. Fires are a dangerous tool, Mari.”351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWVNas6TRvg
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.351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFJhM7L1Ewk
“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.351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaUJkg83p8C
“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.351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9kqEB0KSQf
“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.”351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZiD7Avz26z
He grinned and looked at the burning pile. “It’s been forever. Centuries in dog years.”351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoJ3z3rE0pG
“Five times seven is not centuries.” 351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRoirDhmOCk
“35 years in cat years is centuries.”351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbFeThvpsaB
She snorted and looked hugged his arm. “If my house wasn’t so dilapidated, I’d offer you a shower.”351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOm9Flxma7R
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.”351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7xICM5kQ2D
The two just teased each other and after a while, the two were sitting in comfortable silence. “How has your mom been?”351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbsjvzqFJSs
“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.351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm3ytln2wZM
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.”351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhBRkcsgBpu
“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?”351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpEjA5oGfMS
Marissa shrugged. “I suppose not. I’ll visit your mom though.”351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡesr04ydl0K
“She’ll probably snare you with dinner, for memories and catching up. Now, do you need help with anything, Mari?”351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyq1fFlIGM6
“Unless you and your carpenter friends can fix up the house, no?”351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ68DHFHDZer
“Sounds like an invitation. All I ask is for dinner. What are your plans for tonight?”351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh0OPq6MVi9
“Getting some sheets for curtains and the bed?”351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwlyU8Z0M8W
He beamed like a child seeing the dream bike he wanted for Christmas. “Ma has curtains and sheets. Come down for dinner.” 351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHDImqpVsig
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. 351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq8vJ78U4EQ
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~~351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZihlgNPnCv
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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 management351Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYTKhh4a0On
