Page 18 - Reason To Sing by Kelita Haverland

Reason To Sing

Chapter Two

Scared of the Dark

Ever so slowly, the large mahogany casket drops down from
my bedroom ceiling. It settles beside my bed, as if wanting to
join me beneath the blankets. I grab for more of the tangled
mess of covers. I am frozen with fear as I feel the bitter chill
engulf the room. Suddenly, the lid begins to open. And there
she is - Grandma. Dead Grandma, lying on the satiny cream-
coloured pillows in her black dress with the pearl buttons. Her
chubby hands holding a white carnation, folded neatly and
resting on her fat belly. Her necklace of white pearls is wrapped
around her wrinkly neck like a noose. I see the dark mole at
the corner of her mouth. I used to try and touch it. Then she
would pretend she was going to bite me. But she never did. It
was just a little game we played. Her skin is so white. I know
it’s Grandma, but she doesn’t look like I remember. Or like I
want to remember.
Without any warning … WHOOSH! … I am sucked into
the coffin and stuffed beside her dead body. I try to holler but
the words won’t come. Nothing comes out. Nothing at all. I
can’t scream and I can’t yell. No one can hear me even though
my mind is shrieking. “Oh, my God, no! No! Grandma don’t
take me. Please don’t take me away. I need out! Let me out of
here!”
It’s too late.
There is a deafening THUD! The heavy coffin lid crashes
down on top of Grandma and me. Hard, like an ancient vault
being sealed for another thousand years. And then quicker,

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