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.293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmPmPPL2cyZ
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. 293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9rbSEA3p3w
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. 293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOx6p4yCFNx
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. 293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5zDphCMHDS
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.293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOPZtxGnrAv
The smoke wafted in the air, leaving a very strong smell of wood burning, from the sheets.293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg9ahFyfcc1
“I hope you’re burning these items safely. Fires are a dangerous tool, Mari.”293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZlEgQZ46Ja
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.293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKnlFL1JQMw
“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.293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVgOjPbu61s
“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.293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhrMm5KBCV0
“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.”293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxY4b1YTlgU
He grinned and looked at the burning pile. “It’s been forever. Centuries in dog years.”293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfvZWHzVoZL
“Five times seven is not centuries.” 293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaWjKFtGBYI
“35 years in cat years is centuries.”293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBJt5KIYBxt
She snorted and looked hugged his arm. “If my house wasn’t so dilapidated, I’d offer you a shower.”293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6eX0Nj5Bjv
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.”293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQY7WA6uUEX
The two just teased each other and after a while, the two were sitting in comfortable silence. “How has your mom been?”293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs4LVdkAR6M
“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.293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7KSLtvuQ31
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.”293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCciQYe1kFL
“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?”293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb5SA1Cuffz
Marissa shrugged. “I suppose not. I’ll visit your mom though.”293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiQvBlV7BNZ
“She’ll probably snare you with dinner, for memories and catching up. Now, do you need help with anything, Mari?”293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvi1XO0TUCr
“Unless you and your carpenter friends can fix up the house, no?”293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEA4yAf9HMo
“Sounds like an invitation. All I ask is for dinner. What are your plans for tonight?”293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYyyruaogrW
“Getting some sheets for curtains and the bed?”293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPqxdqmqsz5
He beamed like a child seeing the dream bike he wanted for Christmas. “Ma has curtains and sheets. Come down for dinner.” 293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXBWM2dPG93
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. 293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjVYe2KW0p4
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~~293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9jhe3sPHah
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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 management293Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7NQUjHsmGV
