Grace and Granny Mabel

"Where are you going dear?"asked Granny Mablel.

"What the hell Gran, your always asking me where I'm going. Can't you leave me alone- you're so annoying," moaned Grace, as she unlocked the letterbox.

"I was only asking, no need to be impertinent dear!"

'"There you go again, Gran-using those weird words that no one understands."

Grace sat on the step to read her letter. Thr aroma from the envelope overwhelmed her. letter Almost intoxicating her into a translated state of euphoria. It was from her penfriend Steve. Aftershave came to mind. Reminding her - that he was still thinking of her and he'll be visiting soon in her home town of Victoria.

Granny Mabel went into her bedroom and looked into her vanity mirror. Wiping back the tears from her crow's feet made her question why she took on Grace in the first place. The years hadn't been kind to her. Wrinkled and frail and several trips by Ambulance to the I C U took its toil on her. She got up to get dressed in her white crisp uniform to go to her lawn bowls. She liked to keep active. It was her Doctor's orders; she couldn't miss out on the semi finals. Being captain - it was her big moment.

'"I cant worry about feeling my age now.I better get to the bus stop before the bus leaves without ne," she thought.

Grace decided it was time for Granny Mabel to listen to her .No more,she was going to stand her ground. It was her way or the highway for Granny Mabel.

Grace barged into Granny Mabel's bedroom with so much rage she almost knocked the chair over at the vanity mirror. Looking around she noticed Granny wasn't there.

"Granny I know you're in here. Where are you hiding?"

Grace felt a sharp pain to the back of her head. She was knocked unconscious.

Steve kneeled down to feel Grace's pulse- it was weak.He started to drag her body out into the hall and into the garden.

"'Don't you know Grace, that you can't be too careful with whom you get in contact with these days. Didn't anyone teach you that you shouldn't talk to stranger's?"he said with sacasm.

Grace just laid there- still and lifeless.

He grabbed a shovel from the tool shed. With that he started to dig.

The rectangle shaped grave was almost dug, when Grace began to murmur "where am I and who the hell are you?"

"I'm Steve aren't you surprised to see me?"

She looked half dazed at the grave.

"Why are you doing this to me?'"

Just then, Granny Mabel came home from her lawn bowls. The front door was wide open...

"Curse that girl; she can't even have the decency to close the door, when she goes out."

Granny Mabel started to feel uneasy as she entered,the door looked like it had been forced open. On entering the kitchen she dropped her bowling bag onto her foot. She muffled the gasp, that tried to escape her mouth with her hand.

Suddenly she heard a cry for"help," from Grace.

Steve was about to roll Grace into the makeshift grave. Just then Granny Mabel snuck up behind him. With every ounce of fire in her belly, with a swift kick-he fell into the grave.

Grace said, "Granny Mabel if it wasn't for you -"she was cut short.

"Shh don't say another word my girl-you are all I have,"said Granny Mabel,
fighting back tears.