The car pulled up at Grandma Agatha's house, seemingly unchanged since Ella's childhood. The house had a very plain exterior of red brick that had been weathered almost colourless, the only interesting feature visible was a single blown-glass clown that stood guard facing outward on the downstairs lounge windowsill. The street had houses on only one side - across the road was an expanse of farmers field, and beyond that only the cliff's edge. Agatha lived at the very top of the island, and the altitude combined with the flatness of the fields made for a very bleak, minimalist landscape. The cliff edge created a foreshortened horizon, the view almost surreal. Ten percent flat field, ninety percent sky. A couple of bent, leafless trees dotted throughout. Nothing more.
They got out of the car, left their bags and walked single file down Grandma's thin garden path. There was no boundary, just a square of lawn next to the pavement that Grandma didn't like people to walk on. There were no net curtains, and Agatha could be seen through the window as soon as they got out of the car. As they approached she spotted them, her jowly face quickly transforming from a loose, lifeless and strangely sad television-watching mask into the great beaming smile they knew and loved. She waddled her portly frame through the lounge door, waving as she went, and moments later opened the front door wide for them to enter, each receiving a kiss on the cheek as they passed her.
They settled onto sofas in the lounge, dark brown leather scuffed soft, William taking the same seat he always had done. Daisy, not familiar enough with the house to have a favourite seat, sat instead on a padded foot stool in front of the fireplace. Vinnie, Agatha's old bony greyhound, came padding in from the kitchen and settled at Daisy's feet.
Agatha eased her bulk into the gently creaking leather of her armchair. "Blimey." she grinned as she looked from one girl to the other. "I know you girls are loathe to hear it every time, but really - haven't you both grown!"
YOU ARE READING
Light Come, Light Go
HorrorDaisy and her family are starting a new life on a small island of the south coast of England. Her father is writing a historical horror novel about the Black Death, guided by vivid and disturbing dreams of the island's past. Meanwhile Daisy strugg...
