Author’s Note – First crack at flash fiction – written in a hour today!
She walked in to see Grandma sitting on the chair,
Which should not have been a problem,
Only it was a problem because Grandma died three months ago,
But here she was, nodding fondly as five-year Dima chattered away on her lap,
As Dima regaled her with a tale of how she had lost and found her favorite ribbon.
“How…?” Words failed her as she tried to blink away what had to be a mirage.
Dima looked up and beamed at her. “Grandma came! She heard me and came back!”
She felt an onslaught of terror. “Dima, will you come away from that place right now?”
“It’s Grandma!” Dima replied petulantly.
She hesitated and then dashed forward to grab her daughter who came unwillingly to her side.
“Mama…is it really you?” She asked, awash still in terror now laced with confusion.
There was a reply and it was Grandma’s voice.
Only it was not Grandma speaking but Dima speaking in Grandma’s voice.
“Didn’t I warn you about this girl? See how she has disturbed my sleep!”
She spun around to gasp at her daughter now standing beside her.
“Chim o! Dima, what did you just say?”
Dima stared back at her blankly.
With the sound of her heart pounding in her ears, she spun back around to confront…
Only Grandma was no longer sitting there.
Dima had tired of the game and wandered off to play with her toys.
“Where did Grandma go?” She asked her distracted daughter.
Dima shrugged.
“How did Grandma get here?”
“From her picture…” Dima pointed to a portrait of Grandma hanging on the wall.
The picture had been taken when she had turned eighty.
“I was missing her and so, I looked at her picture and wished she was here,” Dima added.
Didn’t I warn you about this girl? See how she has disturbed my sleep!
“Dima…can you see Grandma now? Is she still here?”
“Of course, Mommy, she is standing right beside you and the others.”
© Lara Brown, 2020
Worlds via Words 