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Authors: Beth Prentice
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and
did a little bit more weed pulling. Only when the grave was tidy once more, did
I open my bag and retrieve the bauble. I heard the thunder rumble in the
distance as I unwrapped it, giving it a polish on my shirt before hanging it in
its original home. As I did so, the sun moved through a gap in the clouds,
sending prisms of light through the orb and causing colour to dance over the
headstones around me. I heard the tinkering of laughter and looked up. Standing
at a distance, watching the light, was the woman I had seen in my dream.
“I knew you were special,” said a gravelly
voice behind me. I spun around and found myself looking at Earl. He still wore the
same uniform he’d worn the day he sold me the tree. “I’ve been waiting a long
time to find the person who would be able to return that home,” he smiled, his
eyes crinkling at the corners. “She was very special too,” he said, nodding
towards the grave.
“Why didn’t you bring the ornament here
yourself?” I asked, finally managing to find my voice.
“I didn’t find it in time,” he said. “It
was made especially for Eliza, you know. We used to have a gentleman in town who
did glass blowing and Christmas was always her favourite time of year. It
seemed like the least I could do to give her Christmas everyday.” I watched as
emotion danced in his eyes.
“Who was she?” I asked.
“She was the love of my life. We’d known
each other since we were kids, grew up living only two houses away from each
other. That year for Christmas I bought her an engagement ring, got down on one
knee and asked her to marry me. She said yes. It was the happiest moment of my
life,” he said, lost in memories. “Later that day, she was killed by a speeding
car.”
His words sent shock waves all the way to
my toes. Not for the first time, I realized life could be so unfair. “I had
this ornament made for her and everyday I came here and tended to her grave, wishing
I could hold her one more time. All the wishing and praying in the world couldn’t
bring her back but I knew that wherever she was, she would be looking down at
the ornament and smiling as the pretty light danced around. Then a few years
after she died, it disappeared. I couldn’t have another one made as the man in
town had moved on. I didn’t know what to do,”
he said sadly. “I could feel her sadness every time I came here after that.” Looking
at Earl, I understood his words. I could feel it too. “But I knew you were the
right person to give it to,” he smiled. “You’re special.”
I looked to where the woman had stood,
wanting to see her happiness, but she’d gone.
“Where did you find it?” I asked, turning
back to Earl,but he was gone too.
I stood and looked around me but the only
person I could see was a groundskeeper I walked towards him.
“Excuse me, but did you see where the
elderly gentleman went?” I asked.
“Sorry, miss. I didn’t see anybody else
here.”
“He was standing with me, telling me the
story of the woman he loved.”
“Sorry, but you’ve been alone the whole
time I’ve been here,” he replied.
“Well, how long have you been here?” I
asked.
“About an hour.” This didn’t make any
sense.
“But I was talking to a man. He was
wearing a green shirt and long pants. Walked with a limp. His name was Earl.”
“Sorry, but I think you’re mistaken. Earl
is the name on the grave next to the one you’ve been attending.”
I looked to where he was pointing and sure
enough on the headstone next to Eliza’s was the inscription ‘Earl Winston,
beloved fiancée of Eliza. They will travel through Eternity together.’
Chapter Seven
I was shell-shocked the whole
way home. I didn’t believe in ghosts. True, that was mostly because if I
admitted to myself that ghosts were real, there was a big possibility I could
be visited by one. Obviously there was a flaw in my theory.
I had stood at the cemetery for about an
hour after I had
did a little bit more weed pulling. Only when the grave was tidy once more, did
I open my bag and retrieve the bauble. I heard the thunder rumble in the
distance as I unwrapped it, giving it a polish on my shirt before hanging it in
its original home. As I did so, the sun moved through a gap in the clouds,
sending prisms of light through the orb and causing colour to dance over the
headstones around me. I heard the tinkering of laughter and looked up. Standing
at a distance, watching the light, was the woman I had seen in my dream.
“I knew you were special,” said a gravelly
voice behind me. I spun around and found myself looking at Earl. He still wore the
same uniform he’d worn the day he sold me the tree. “I’ve been waiting a long
time to find the person who would be able to return that home,” he smiled, his
eyes crinkling at the corners. “She was very special too,” he said, nodding
towards the grave.
“Why didn’t you bring the ornament here
yourself?” I asked, finally managing to find my voice.
“I didn’t find it in time,” he said. “It
was made especially for Eliza, you know. We used to have a gentleman in town who
did glass blowing and Christmas was always her favourite time of year. It
seemed like the least I could do to give her Christmas everyday.” I watched as
emotion danced in his eyes.
“Who was she?” I asked.
“She was the love of my life. We’d known
each other since we were kids, grew up living only two houses away from each
other. That year for Christmas I bought her an engagement ring, got down on one
knee and asked her to marry me. She said yes. It was the happiest moment of my
life,” he said, lost in memories. “Later that day, she was killed by a speeding
car.”
His words sent shock waves all the way to
my toes. Not for the first time, I realized life could be so unfair. “I had
this ornament made for her and everyday I came here and tended to her grave, wishing
I could hold her one more time. All the wishing and praying in the world couldn’t
bring her back but I knew that wherever she was, she would be looking down at
the ornament and smiling as the pretty light danced around. Then a few years
after she died, it disappeared. I couldn’t have another one made as the man in
town had moved on. I didn’t know what to do,”
he said sadly. “I could feel her sadness every time I came here after that.” Looking
at Earl, I understood his words. I could feel it too. “But I knew you were the
right person to give it to,” he smiled. “You’re special.”
I looked to where the woman had stood,
wanting to see her happiness, but she’d gone.
“Where did you find it?” I asked, turning
back to Earl,but he was gone too.
I stood and looked around me but the only
person I could see was a groundskeeper I walked towards him.
“Excuse me, but did you see where the
elderly gentleman went?” I asked.
“Sorry, miss. I didn’t see anybody else
here.”
“He was standing with me, telling me the
story of the woman he loved.”
“Sorry, but you’ve been alone the whole
time I’ve been here,” he replied.
“Well, how long have you been here?” I
asked.
“About an hour.” This didn’t make any
sense.
“But I was talking to a man. He was
wearing a green shirt and long pants. Walked with a limp. His name was Earl.”
“Sorry, but I think you’re mistaken. Earl
is the name on the grave next to the one you’ve been attending.”
I looked to where he was pointing and sure
enough on the headstone next to Eliza’s was the inscription ‘Earl Winston,
beloved fiancée of Eliza. They will travel through Eternity together.’
Chapter Seven
I was shell-shocked the whole
way home. I didn’t believe in ghosts. True, that was mostly because if I
admitted to myself that ghosts were real, there was a big possibility I could
be visited by one. Obviously there was a flaw in my theory.
I had stood at the cemetery for about an
hour after I had
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