Abby Krause

Foundations-Fiction

September 1st 2013



The morning wasn’t particularly clear, with clouds hanging slightly above the trees and the sun nowhere in sight; the grass wasn’t a bright shade of green, but more like the sky above, lifeless. The girl started walking between two buildings; one that appeared to be the post and the other a small, dark cafe. The girl wandered in and out of the small village that was placed among her surroundings, only to find that each street that she went through lead back up to the same narrow street.

The girl who hadn't a clue as to why all the streets lead back to the narrow street that held a rather old looking post, and a dimly lit cafe with what appeared to be people inside. As she cautiously made her way closer to where the two doors looked directly across from each other. While looking between the two doors, the girl heard the faint sound of classical music that once rang from her own gram and granddad’s old shop. Having a passion for the classical music that the girl once heard on a regular basis, the girl’s interest peaked; as her eyes slowly looked to where the enchanting music was being played, her feet slowly followed to where her eyes were already placed.

The girls feet had already lead her to the small post. Cautiously placing her hand on the rusted bronze door knob, a bolt of electricity flew through the girls petite frame. Making her way into the post; with shuffling feet and hands entangling in a messy ball, the girl slowly made her way onto the creaky floorboards. Walking her way up to the front desk that held a single bell; much like the doorknob, which held a thin layer of rust over the already bronzed skin. She tapped once on the bell, after hearing shuffling behind the door; which was conveniently placed directly behind the desk, she took two steps back. As the door swung open, the girl saw a man she never thought she would see again.


“Granddad?” she whispered at just the right level which allowed the not so brittle old man to hear.

“Hello there. The name’s Rob. Where will you be shipping to today?”

The girl stood still, mouth open slightly, maybe it was the fact that her granddad was no longer the fragile old man in a wheelchair she once knew him as, or maybe it was because she was seeing him after being deceased for almost 5 years.

“Sugar, I don’t got much time. I gotta make my rounds soon. If I don’t make them on time, the women start to get mad.”

The girl stood still, but suddenly she found the courage to walk around to the back of the counter and embrace the old man.

“First off, who are you and why are you hugging me? And second why can’t I feel you? Are you some kind of ghosty thing that the witch woman down the road sent to scare me? Because honey if you’re a ghost I ain’t afraid.”

“Wait, you can’t feel me?” Pulling away to look at the old man, she saw that he had vanished completely before her eyes...almost as if he were the ghost himself. With tears welling in the girl’s eyes, she slowly laid back onto the ground. I lost him again and I didn’t even get to say goodbye. Why was he even here in the first place? With tears running down the girl’s face she could do nothing more than sit and think about how she not only lost her Granddad once, but instead she lost him for a second time.

Hours may have past, but the girl didn’t care, she just sat in the small post that sat across from the dimly lit cafe across the street.

Faintly the girl heard the tune of classical music drifting through the small post again. Sitting up, she looked around the post. It wasn’t the same..it was now her Granddad and Gram’s old shop. Nick-nacks covered the walls, priceless antiques stood on the counter tops just waiting for a bystander to fall in love and take them home. It’s only when her eyes lay on the counter that her breath hitches. Sitting where the rusty bell once sat, was a picture. Slowly walking towards the picture, a small smile graced her face.


The picture wasn’t an ordinary picture of a dog or a cute little cat, it was a picture of the girl and her Granddad. It was taken at her Granddad’s last birthday. He got out of his wheelchair only to lay on the grass next to the girl laid. It was a moment that would never be forgotten, because after only laying down they sat in silence. The silence wasn’t awkward like most would think, but it was the opposite. They laid having a silent conversation, they knew that they didn’t need to talk, but only be with each other at that moment.

The moment her fingers grazed the picture, she realized that she had been crying for hours over nothing. Her Granddad was never gone, he was always with her. She had this illusion that he was forever gone and that she would never be able to see him again, but here she was just talking to him.

Holding the picture to her chest the girl closed her eyes and for a minute enjoyed what was going on. She just saw her Granddad, and was engulfed in classical music.

Opening her eyes once again, she was no longer in her Granddad’s shop or holding the picture that was once taken. Instead she was laying in her bed, with classical music coming from the now smelling kitchen.