Carnival: Rome

Ashley was resting in her bed, thinking about her day. She looked at the pocket watch on the dresser and laughed. Hearing her doorbell, Ashley got up with her cane and made her way to the front door.

Ashley opened the door to see her granddaughter, Denice.

“Hey grandma.”

“Good morning, Nicie.”

“Grandma, it’s just Denice. You ready for your walk?”

“Where ya mother?”

“Mom had to take Donnie to his appointment since dad is sick.”

“You ain’t sick, is you?”

“No grandma.”

“Okay, good.”

Ashley held onto Denice’s arm and they began to walk to the park.

“Nicie, when you gonna get yourself a boyfriend?”

“Grandma, I ain’t gettin’ no boyfriend. Stop asking.”

“Why not? Ya pretty and smart. If my boyfriend can visit me everyday at 3pm then I’m sure you can get you someone.”

“Grandma you ain’t got no boyfriend.”

“Oh, I do. He’s kind, bright, and knows how to treat a woman. He may not be handsome but he sure is cute.”

“Okay grandma. Sounds like you found yaself a killa.”

Ashley chuckled to herself. Before the conversation could continue, Denice saw a few of her friends from school in the distance. She quickly hid her face and tried to hurry Ashley back towards the house. Ashley tried to get her to slow down. But Denice wasn’t listening. She kept going until Ashley fell. Denice looked back to see that her grandmother had fallen. She hesitated to go after her once she noticed people were watching. Ashley called out to her but seeing her classmates whispering, Denice ran away.

At her grandmother’s house, Denice called her mom.

“Mom, I need you to come get me.”

“What? Why?”

“We went on a walk. Then she fell.”

“Mom fell! Oh god. Where is she?”

“... Still at the park…”

“Denice Ashley Corbeau! You get back there and bring your grandmother back to her house or so help me!”

“But mom, she’s losing her mind. Talking about an imaginary boyfriend and junk.”

“Denice, she’s old. Sometimes, when you get old you imagine a better life than you live to cope with the fear.”

“She got a nice house. She don’t gotta work. She got money. She lives alone. What would she have to be afraid of?”

A light green mist with a blue hue began to roll out from under the front door. It crept towards Denise as if to grab her. Denise’s mom responded with sadness in her heart, “The fear of dying alone.”

The mist suddenly retreated into the house. The door slowly opened. Denice hung up her phone.

Denice hesitantly walked into the house. She looked around whispering for her grandmother. She heard her grandmother cackling from the dining room. She slowly walked over. She could hear her grandmother talking about her to someone. A voice that reminded her of her grandfather could be heard. Which sent shivers through her spine. Her grandfather had been dead for 12 years. She peeked and only saw her grandmother but somehow younger.

Denice swiftly got out of view and leaned against the wall. Trying to make sense of what she just saw, she begins to mutter to herself. She convinces herself to message her mom, to tell her that her grandmother was not crazy but a witch. She was shaking so much she couldn’t even get her phone unlocked. She took a deep breath and finally noticed that there was a teapot pouring into a teacup, in mid-air. As she began to panic, the light green mist with a blue hue became visible in the room.

Suddenly she saw something becoming visible. It was a tall muscular humanoid white rabbit in a red vest. Unable to scream, Denice tried to crawl away. White Rabbit watched her slowly crawl away.

“Excuse me, are you Denice?” White Rabbit said with a British accent.

Denice stopped moving and looked back.

“I have heard quite a bit about you. All Bs in your class, swim club, and a trombone player. Ashley really likes you. I was looking forward to meeting you.”

“Really?” Denice cowered.

“Why, of course.” he put the teapot down and sipped some tea, “That was until I heard that you abandoned her at the park after causing her to fall. Very rude. Very rude, indeed.”

Denice tried to apologize as White Rabbit walked up to her. He extended his massive arms and clapped her. She vanished with a puff of light green mist. He opened his hands to show a very decorative tea kettle made of green iron with sapphire and emerald jewels embedded in it. He took it over to the table and served tea from it to Ashley. She took a drink and questioned if he put sugar in it. White Rabbit apologized for the bitter taste, it was a fresh pot. He walked away. Ashley leaned on the table and continued flirting with the young man in front of her.

“You know you don’t have to look like my dead husband to keep me around.”

“I rather this form during our time. It brings you great joy, my love.”

“Oh Aetas, you spoil me.”

“Anything for you. You don’t know how much time you have left so we must make every second worth it.”

“I’m sorry that you had to find me like that at the park.”

“Like what?”

“I… hm.”

“No worries. I remember.”

“Tell me.”

“You were at the park. You had a small fall right into my arms.”

“Sounds about right.”

“I remember when we first met.”

“Aetas… I feel…”

“Shhhh. Shhh. It’s okay. Let me tell you all the things you can’t remember.” his eyes began to glow light green.

“That’s a lot….” Ashley began to tear up.

“Even more time we have together, my love.”