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.271Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvY4Yv1pfEx
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. 271Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQznO5udtP3
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. 271Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfGU0rDMMfN
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. 271Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBR6lDwIcjO
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.271Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9MopHk0peK
The smoke wafted in the air, leaving a very strong smell of wood burning, from the sheets.271Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX0rXn89Hx8
“I hope you’re burning these items safely. Fires are a dangerous tool, Mari.”271Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhl6o6XM6Ql
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.271Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0oLzHzAHfb
“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.271Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMeyTzcc6nU
“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.271Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPxSxWqZJAt
“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.”271Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT461lC7d9d
He grinned and looked at the burning pile. “It’s been forever. Centuries in dog years.”271Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmfBkpoX21b
“Five times seven is not centuries.” 271Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxqsBpYmZM9
“35 years in cat years is centuries.”271Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgjwYAfa7pz
She snorted and looked hugged his arm. “If my house wasn’t so dilapidated, I’d offer you a shower.”271Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGKKdr0NY2R
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.”271Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuA15eqOLSJ
The two just teased each other and after a while, the two were sitting in comfortable silence. “How has your mom been?”271Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGVNrwc2cJi
“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.271Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvqXQHvOcpk
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.”271Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ98M4HwL7Dc
“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?”271Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIzhplH1D2d
Marissa shrugged. “I suppose not. I’ll visit your mom though.”271Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCnbWEozzwi
“She’ll probably snare you with dinner, for memories and catching up. Now, do you need help with anything, Mari?”271Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh4f4moLCep
“Unless you and your carpenter friends can fix up the house, no?”271Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM2TonkoPmo
“Sounds like an invitation. All I ask is for dinner. What are your plans for tonight?”271Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQImMm1v9vd
“Getting some sheets for curtains and the bed?”271Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7JCXJJMYk8
He beamed like a child seeing the dream bike he wanted for Christmas. “Ma has curtains and sheets. Come down for dinner.” 271Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0xEQYjH1pG
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. 271Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW1GRDC4bkd
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~~271Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZLXRo9sxly
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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 management271Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCkcLdQUHo7
