Cursed Tales 8 - "Ghost-Walker"

The Granny.

 
Jonny was a young lad. Winter break was almost over, just a couple more days and he had to go back to the dreadful school he did not miss even the slightest bit. He had to go there; it was his duty as a child of a family strict in academics. His mind briefly thought about the school as he walked by the old building. It reminded him of that because it kind of looked like the school architectural design, which was the reason he thought about it in the first place. However, enough about that. He was on a break! He did not want to think about school nor his parents, both of which wanting him to study. He would only get the stupid amount of two hours of free time per day and would study the rest of the hours as if his life depended on it. But not right now! He was on a break, outside in the world, walking during the snowy winter season.
Jonny was a curious lad who did not really pass stuff without actually thinking about, why things are happening, or why are things there. He passed a cone shaped stone structure on the coast of the bridge he was walking on and he though,
  "Why is that there?" - What could have made people construct that? Make it stand there? It was almost destroyed from the many a winters which made it even more pointless. Yet it was there, making the scenery feel odd. There were benches, lamps, posts, fences beside him. Yet, why was that there? It didn't serve a purpose. It would have been used to sell papers, a long time ago… The time in which people actually did read em. But now, it was just a barely up structure, with no meaning...Or was it? As he got closer, he saw two feet sitting behind the structure. From the three layers of socks and almost torn shoes, he could deduce the person sitting there was homeless.
  -Hello, are you hurt? Do you need help? - He asked and awaited.
The person, startled and a bit shocked turned to face the little lad with his blonde hair and blue cores. The old lady look tired. She had been through many long and painful years. Her eyes only said so. Those... Old and grey eyes.
  -I'm good my boy, thank you! - She replied and attempted to stand.
Jonny helped her, and removed the small layer of snow away from her dress... Dark and sewn up with patches.
  -I was going to go and buy some taters so I can make myself some soup, but…I got tired on the way back. Might have even napped for a while - She continued as a “thank you” for the help.
  -But that is scary! You cannot just fall asleep in the snow, in a day like this! - returned the boy feeling in a way responsible.
She brushed his comment by saying it wasn't a big deal. It was because of her age. Either way, he insisted of helping her back home. She agreed seeing, as he was genuinely worried, so not to worry him, the old woman led the way. It was a five-minute walk to an abandoned, or what it looked like building, with no windows or anything. She unlocked the door, which was barely hanging on its hinges in the first place, and welcomed him inside. Jonny could only imagine the nothingness inside the house. And yet, he was wrong. The home was probably the saddest, and yet humbling thing he ever saw. A bed, a furnace a sink and a table. That was it. Nothing else. There was a pot left on the top of the furnace in a way to get some brewing water for the soup. Only the last few ingredients were missing.
  -I can help you with that! - suggested the lad, and looked at the shivering hands of the lady.
She nodded, and sat by the table.
  -There is some flour and onions downstairs, could you be a dear and go and fetch them? – She asked.
Jonny nodded intrigued. How was there a downstairs though? The already house being so tiny and all. The woman pointed at the carpet hanged on the wall, and the boy removed one side to reveal a staircase leading down. It seemed odd, yet he was going to help her either way. Not minding the dark path, he descended down and looked for a light. A hideous smell erupted in his nostrils as he went further. Rotten smell. Of decay, and death. Reminded him of carrion. His fingers quickly pacing on the surface of the rugged walls finally found the switch, so he turned on the light. The light glared and illuminated the hidden room. Revealing...the old lady...Her corpse. Broken, in a strange and odd angle. Her neck had been twisted, and her legs, bent backwards. Blood covered the last ingredients she needed but he was not about to touch them. Jonny was petrified and could not move. His eyes could only stare at the ones of the corpse, the lifeless ones. He tried moving, but his body reacted as slow as a snail, as if his muscles were dead. He could not just get the picture out of his head. But Jonny had to, needed to get away from there as soon as possible or he would go mad. So he attempted again. Tried. Cried. Didn't work.
Tried again. And this time they leapt. He was like a bird. He took the needed stairs and bolted. The "living room" was empty, there was no one there. His hand was even covered with blood but he did not remember touching her, except for the time he was holding her hand while escorting her back home.
  -What the he- - He thought and ran again.
Away from the house. Away from that awful scene. He ran and ran, until he got back to the point of which he started. The cone structure. However, there was no one there anymore; it was only a blank stone object with nothing but a sign, a memorial hanged in the middle of it. It noted:
  "In loving memory of the old lady".
Jonny was now crying as any other man or child would. Nothing was always what it seemed. Even for the people of age, times were harsh. And Jonny was going to understand that today. He looked back and saw the outlined blue imagine of a woman. She was waving for goodbye. He could barely see her, but her lips formed something,
  "Thank you for the help!"
Still shaking and not knowing how to feel he nodded as if on command and smiled.
Today had been a strange day. Yet it made him understand one thing. Always offer help, no matter how you feel. You never know how bad the other person has it.
And just as that thought went and rushed by him…the scenery changed…slightly, but it did. He blinked and turned around, only to be faced, by the waves underneath the bridge, crashing and forming a delightful song of long lost voices.
Jonny turned around and began walking again.