A Complete Family

Going Back To The Past

SHANNON’S POINT OF VIEW

The sky was dark now. A few seconds later, it started to drizzle.

~Gosh! I forgot to bring an umbrella again.~

I ran to the nearest waiting shed. It was raining now. I realized I wasn’t alone in that shed. There was this girl in a white dress. She had this red ribbon on her hair.

“Hey! Are you okay?”

She looked at me and said, “I’m fine, Shannon. How about you?”

My eyes widened. My jaw dropped. I closed my eyes. As soon as I opened them, the little girl was nowhere in sight. I may be hallucinating. She looked a little familiar. I waited until the rain stopped. I turned my phone on and found voice messages from my father. I decided to call him back.

“Hey, dad!”

“Shannon, thank goodness you’re alright. Please tell me where you are. I’ll pick you up.”

“You don’t have to, dad. I’ll be fine. I’m going to granny’s place for the weekend. You don’t have to worry about me.”

“Are you sure?”

“Of course I’ll be. Bye, dad.”

I ended the call and hailed a cab. A few minutes later, I arrived at my grandmother’s house.

~I’m having second thoughts, but I’m here already so I better knock.~

I knocked three times. I even rang the doorbell, but no one opened the door for me. I went around to see if they were having barbecue or something. I couldn’t find anyone. I decided to ask around. I knocked at one of the neighbours’ doors.

“Good evening, Mrs Lauder. Have you seen my grandmother?”

She looked at me from head to toe and said, “Excuse me. Do I know you?”

I replied, “I’m Shannon Blake. Don’t you remember me?”

She got confused. “I’m sorry, dear. I’m afraid I don’t, but you do look familiar.”

I peeked inside her house and saw a picture of me and her son.

“When I used to live here, everyone in the neighbourhood would call me ‘Shane’. My mom is Sarah Mason. And my grandma lives next door.”

Her eyebrows met. Then, her eyes widened.

“Shane? Is that you?”

I nodded.

“I can’t believe it! It’s been ten years, huh?”

I smiled at her.

“Come in! You’ve grown so tall.”

She made me sit on the couch as she called for her son.

“Craig? Come down right now!”

I heard footsteps coming down from the stairs. A boy appeared from the direction of the footsteps. He stood there and wondered who I was.

Then, his eyes widened and his jaw dropped.

“Shane?”

I gave him a quick smile.

“I can’t believe it! It really is you!”

I stood up and gave him a hug.

“It’s been a while, Shane. What are you doing here?”