The usual, he supposed. Though he minded not the dampness nor the chill, his groceries did. Never quickening his step, never resting for more than a moment.
The large iron wrought gates were barred from closure by the overgrown thicket and overhang of branches, and he slipped through. It was a shortcut, and one that provided cover.
Quietly, save for the rain that evening, he went along the path, umbrella stem hitched between neck and shoulder and a bag of groceries in each hand.
Grey stones littered the area in organized rows with the occasional mausoleum, but he paid them little mind.
But the human eye is naturally drawn to two things, movement and light.
And the one that drew his, was both.
It gave him pause, but only for a moment before he continued down the path. It wasn't his nature to become involved, and he had no desire to leave any footprints.
Then he heard it, the quiet murmurs, and reluctantly turned around.
Her hair was pure white and cast in a warm glow from the light, her skin tender and frail, and speckled with her years. She continued her soft prayers, and at length finished, turning slowly to greet him. "My, my, to think a youth such as yourself would come by here. Have you come to pay your respects?"
He didn't speak, but she chuckled, a warmth that was so foreign he could scarce recognize it as the maternal love that it was.
"My departed lies here, and beside him the last of my Family." She spoke softly, turning back to face the graves.
"He was my son, no different from any other, an earnest youth with a big heart. Loved his Family, his home, and he would give it all for them both."
Her head bowed as she knelt in the rain and mud, a somber smile, "And give it he did."
She chuckled at his silence, "Look at me go, prattling on and on and reminiscing of the past. We all have our secrets, and I wont begrudge you your's. It's difficult reliving the past." she paused, a poignant silence, "And the future, so much so that at Times, one forgets the present."
The old women unclasped her hands from the long strand of beads and bowed once more to the ground.
When she finally picked herself up he was still there, both bags in one hand, umbrella held out in the other.
"What a gentlemen you are, would that my son could've been the same. He was a good man of course, had too much energy though, and would always leave me behind. I could never keep up with him." she chuckled, "He would always come back to me, but this Time, I'm afraid it'll have to be me who comes to see him."
He walked her to the retirement community and she thanked him as he pushed the umbrella into her hand, "A kind one you are, if not a little quiet."
But she paused at the gate, and smiled up at him, almost as if comforting him, she added in, "Oh--chin up, dearie. It wont be long 'ere I see them again."
There was nothing to say, and so he said nothing.
She just smiled knowingly, and bid farewell. He nodded back.
He watched her light as it crossed the courtyard, bobbing gently with her step. And then it snuffed out.
He never saw her again.
His vision returned slowly, and there above him hovered the merry countenance and carefree smile of his flatmate, "Neiro."
"Hey, did you sleep well?"
"Alright I suppose." he returned, and then, lost to his pondering, "I wonder if she's still there."
"Who?"
"It's nothing."
Her head bowed as she knelt in the rain and mud, a somber smile, "And give it he did."
She chuckled at his silence, "Look at me go, prattling on and on and reminiscing of the past. We all have our secrets, and I wont begrudge you your's. It's difficult reliving the past." she paused, a poignant silence, "And the future, so much so that at Times, one forgets the present."
The old women unclasped her hands from the long strand of beads and bowed once more to the ground.
When she finally picked herself up he was still there, both bags in one hand, umbrella held out in the other.
"What a gentlemen you are, would that my son could've been the same. He was a good man of course, had too much energy though, and would always leave me behind. I could never keep up with him." she chuckled, "He would always come back to me, but this Time, I'm afraid it'll have to be me who comes to see him."
He walked her to the retirement community and she thanked him as he pushed the umbrella into her hand, "A kind one you are, if not a little quiet."
But she paused at the gate, and smiled up at him, almost as if comforting him, she added in, "Oh--chin up, dearie. It wont be long 'ere I see them again."
There was nothing to say, and so he said nothing.
She just smiled knowingly, and bid farewell. He nodded back.
He watched her light as it crossed the courtyard, bobbing gently with her step. And then it snuffed out.
He never saw her again.
His vision returned slowly, and there above him hovered the merry countenance and carefree smile of his flatmate, "Neiro."
"Hey, did you sleep well?"
"Alright I suppose." he returned, and then, lost to his pondering, "I wonder if she's still there."
"Who?"
"It's nothing."
