Short story: The mystery of my grandmother

Short story: The mystery of my grandmother

"It was early in the morning. I got up scared and turned round. When I saw him on my table, I realized that anything could happen that day.

Rupén, my dog, got on my table only when he had bad feelings, but that time it must be a really terrible one, given that his eyes were popping out of his head. I talked about that with my sister, Carmen, and we decided that we had really to keep an eye on him.

Towards evening, when we thought that there was nothing more to be afraid of, the telephone rang; it was our grandmother, Consuelo, who asked us to go and see her, because she wasn't very well.

My dad decided that we would go to his mother after dinner. While we were having dinner, Rupén behaved in a very strange way: he continued barking and turning round the table: he had never behaved in that way.

When we had to go out of our house, the dog didn't want to leave us, putting himself in front of our car; in order to leave, my dad had to tie Rupén, who disconsolately sat down near his basket, looking at us leaving him: he knew that he would never see us together.

On the journey from our house to our grandmother's house, Carmen complained, saying: "grandmother calls us only because she feels alone, not because she actually needs help!" so my dad said: "exactly because she feels alone, we have to go and see her more often", and my sister: "I'd like to live on the other side of the world, so I wouldn't have to leave my favourite soap opera to go and see that old woman!". At that stage my mother intervened: "You should be ashamed of yourself! shame on you!" "I don't want to see my grandmother again!" said Carmen.

She didn't know that besides her grandmother, she wouldn't see again anyone.

When we arrived at Consuelo's house, we heard the church bell tower near the graveyard next to our grandmother's house strike midnight.

My sister and I looked at each other frightened, we remembered the Rupén's strange behaviour and we decided not to go out of our car. Dad told us "Go out immediately", so my sister and I answered together "We are frightened" and dad "Don't make such a fuss! Go out!" We were more and more terrified, we went out of the car and set out for Consuelo's door. While our dad was ringing the bell, it seemed to Carmen and me to hear some steps behind the house, but we thought it was only our imagination.

After some minutes, seeing that no one came to open the door, we went behind the house, where we found the door open: it was a very strange thing, because our grandmother never opened that door. We were ready for the worst and, plucking up courage each other, went in.

In the house there wasn't anybody.

My sister and I implored our father: "Go to our house; we'll return here tomorrow to discover why grandma wasn't here today" but dad said, "I'm an investigator. If I don't resolve this mystery, my colleagues will mock me forever! So, I must find the truth and you'll help me to find it".

We accepted even thought not to go to the car alone.

After combing the entire house, Pedro decided "There isn't anyone here, so we'll go to the graveyard".

Meanwhile, the bell tower was stuking the one and we were more and more frightened.

As soon as we crossed the graveyard's gate, a gust of wind blew all the candles (except one) out.

Pedro went to see whose was the tombstone with the candle still alight; the name written was: Consuelo Perez.

My dad turned round immediately, frightened, to tell us his macabre discovery; as soon as he finished talking with us, something that seemed a  ghost's hand took my dad and dragged him underground.

Carmen and I escaped as quick as lightwing from there, while mum tried to help dad."

Since that moment I have lived with my favourite aunt, Lisa, Carmen, and Rupén, until I met your mum two years ago. Carmen and I have never seen our parents again, so we think they are both dead, but neither of us has the bravery to go to that damned graveyard.