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.347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYu7UrVoAMp
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. 347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeFpYkFo9Qq
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. 347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcWi4PWG4fO
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. 347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsNQC5UL17B
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.347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeUkU6wIKeu
The smoke wafted in the air, leaving a very strong smell of wood burning, from the sheets.347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvLWNhoincG
“I hope you’re burning these items safely. Fires are a dangerous tool, Mari.”347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQNWeq3SIOm
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.347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSSvT7SFHls
“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.347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEY4jE00UZI
“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.347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTlaScAGV7y
“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.”347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHH4vc7DoK7
He grinned and looked at the burning pile. “It’s been forever. Centuries in dog years.”347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ45eqyDUmqV
“Five times seven is not centuries.” 347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ08Jn95hksr
“35 years in cat years is centuries.”347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGl94QnpeXI
She snorted and looked hugged his arm. “If my house wasn’t so dilapidated, I’d offer you a shower.”347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz7wsvEaxX9
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.”347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuoc2wBcVVM
The two just teased each other and after a while, the two were sitting in comfortable silence. “How has your mom been?”347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIZCORFhKc6
“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.347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1MWhfNrRge
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.”347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJY0X1fTRGi
“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?”347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSsSdLoG1V6
Marissa shrugged. “I suppose not. I’ll visit your mom though.”347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFbhtdqk4LO
“She’ll probably snare you with dinner, for memories and catching up. Now, do you need help with anything, Mari?”347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnB8bexjOAS
“Unless you and your carpenter friends can fix up the house, no?”347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9ZsHgfpy83
“Sounds like an invitation. All I ask is for dinner. What are your plans for tonight?”347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzIF63G6nHG
“Getting some sheets for curtains and the bed?”347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoxhy4bYlwN
He beamed like a child seeing the dream bike he wanted for Christmas. “Ma has curtains and sheets. Come down for dinner.” 347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAFRlga1Dbr
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. 347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2zvuRCpUK8
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~~347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuITSWe5sD6
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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 management347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn0cb5esGsg
