@freewritehouse March Madness Chapter 13 ”Pound Cake”

Pixabay Image

Steemit is down today so I'm hoping this will post. If anyone wants to join in the madness please check out @freewritehouse.

Thanks for reading!

Today's word count: 2,112

...................................,,/(_),,/...........................

Chapter 13
Pound Cake.

Grant awoke the next morning feeling groggy and tired. He was procrastinating getting out if be and he did not want to leave the warmth of his blankets. He could hear his grandmother down the hall, she was already in the kitchen making coffee and working on breakfast. This motivated Grant a little bit and he slowly worked his way out from the covers and sat up in his bed.

Suddenly the reality of the night before sank in. That was real! That happened! He was filled with energy and purpose. He felt like a new person.

Grant shot out of bed, he threw on his robe and floated down the hallway to greet his grandmother. He wanted to tell her everything that had happened, but he was not sure how? He decided to keep it to himself at least until he had a little time to process everything.

”Morning grandma! Where's Grandpa?” Grant chimed.

”Well, good morning sweetie! He is still sleeping, honey. Would you like some breakfast?”

”Yes, please.” Grant smiled.

The kitchen seemed warmer and brighter than what he was used to. He sat down at the kitchen table and admired his grandmother as she worked. She too seemed a little brighter and warmer. It was as if there was a glow surrounding her, an aura he had never noticed before. It was a warm, subtle, light glow outlining her form.

This was strange. Grant felt completely in the moment and he was 100% present in the room and focused. Normally, Grant spent so much time inside his head he hardly ever noticed anything happening around him. Since his mother died, he had withdrawn even more.

Now, he saw the world as it was. A beautiful place that is full of possibilities and infinite moments such as this one. Each second just as special as the last.

”Would you like some scrambled eggs?” Eleanor asked her Grandson.

She immediately noticed the change in him, at first she didn't understand what was going on then it clicked. Ahh yeah, the confession yesterday at church, she thought. To her it was simple, Grant had cleared his conscience and on the way, maybe he made some real progress with accepting the loss of his mother.

Grant’s good mood was contagious. His grandmother was excited to see some life back in her grandson. It had been ages since she had a real conversation with him and was hoping he would open up a little bit for her.

”So, today I have to make a pound cake for the church dinner this weekend. What are you up to? Anything going on in school today?” she asked him.

”Nah, not really Grandma. I think we might have some play practice today, but I'm not sure.” Grant replied.

”Oh, that sounds fun! I know how much you like being in the play. How are things going? Is it getting any easier at school?” she was going straight for it.

”Yeah, I think so grandma. I mean I guess it will always be a little weird, but I think it's getting better.” Grant didn't seem to mind the thought of going to school today. For the first time, he actually thought he would be happy attending the high school where his mom has once taught. Maybe he was not happy, but he was accepting it.

By the time the eggs were ready, Grandpa Kurt had hobbled his way out of bed and his coffee was already waiting for him as he sat down next to Grant.

”Hey, Sport! Ready to get going pretty quick? Looks like we are both running behind today, I'll give you a ride.”

”Yeah, Grandpa.” Grant was enjoying the scene unfolding around him, now even a little excited to go to school given his new perspective on life.

”Let me get dressed, and we can go. Thanks for breakfast grandma!” Grant said as he left the table.

Giving an acknowledging look to her husband, Eleanor replied; ”Of course, dear!”

”Wow.” Kurt mouthed to his wife, a little impressed at the boys change of attitude. Grant was always polite but sometimes it seemed forced and a little resentful. They were witnessing a whole new Grant.

Grant was finally ready for school and waiting for his grandfather in the kitchen.

”Hurry up now. We are gonna be late.” Kurt said as he was struggling to get his coat on.

Grant laughed.

”I'm ready, grandpa.”

”Okay, then let's go!” Kurt unlocked the door to the garage and they jumped into his car.

It was early March and spring had arrived early this year. The normal grey and dead landscape of Wisconsin after a harsh winter was now green and lush. The melted snow had left behind large amounts of water that was pooling on the streets and lawns of the resident's homes in Pine Grove.

They pulled into the school parking lot, but instead of the normal drop off, Kurt pulled his Buick into a parking spot.

Grant looked worried.

”Relax, Grant everything is fine. Stay right here okay. You're not going to school today. I’ll run in quick and let them know.

”Ah... Okay.” Grant was confused. This was not like his Grandfather. The military man rarely missed appointments and surely he did not want his grandson missing any school.

What could he possibly be doing? Grant wondered. This can't still be about the candy.

Returning to the car, Kurt was silent, as he pulled his Buick out of the school parking lot, Kurt made a right turn and headed east out of town.

Grant was not saying anything, he just looked out the window and watched all the students rushing to class. He did not dare ask his grandfather any questions in fear of making whatever they were doing worse for himself. But he knew where they were going. The town was located right on the shores of Lake Michigan and they were headed to the only place that road led, to the Lake.

What could we be doing at the lake?

They pulled in and Kurt put it in park.

”I brought you here because I think it's time we had a talk. I saw the way you were this morning and I think now that you are ready.” Kurt chuckled to himself. ”You're not in any trouble so you can relax. Come on let's take a walk down by the lake.”

The Lake was really calm on this sunny morning and the sand was still cold enough that when you walked on the beach you did not sink in very far. The waves lapped gently on the Wisconsin shore of the enormous lake.

The beach was deserted, with only the two walking at a leisurely pace with no particular destination.

”I know its been rough with your mother gone, and your grandma and I could never replace her. That's not what we want to do. I see a lot of her in you. You're a smart kid and I know that nonsense with the candy has no reflection on your true character. What did you think about confession yesterday? Kurt asked.

Grant thought about it. After his experience last night with the tree in his room, he had all but forgotten about it.

”It was alright. I guess it made me feel a little better.” Grant replied.

”Good, I'm glad it helped. But that's what I'm here to talk to you about. Before I continue I want you to promise me, that for now this day, our conversation, should remain private. Okay, Grant?”

Grant was curious as to what this could be about. ”Sure thing Grandpa. I won't say anything.”

”Good. Now listen to me the church, father Don, Jesus, the Virgin Mary, all of it, it's a lie, Grant. None of it is true. I first saw you having doubts after your mother passed and I was happy to see you figuring this out on your own. That's when I decided it was time for me to tell you the truth about us, about our people and what came before the church.”

Grant was shocked. He spent his entire life growing up in a town that was centered around faith and the church. His school belonged to the church, so did he, so did his Grandpa.

Kurt saw the hesitation on the boy's face but did not wait for a response.

”Our ancestors came over from Europe in the 1800s, you knew that right?”

”Yeah, from Germany right?” Grant remembered.

”Yup, Germany and Southern Denmark. We lived there for 50,000 thousand years and I suspect even longer than that. We weren't always Christian you know, but did you ever ask yourself how we became Christian?”

Grant was a little confused. He knew there were people that didn't believe in Jesus and had other religions, but he never imaged that people like him could be anything other than Christian.

”No, grandpa I have no idea.” Grants mind was spinning. Why is he telling me this? Grants mood from grounded and present from this morning now transformed into uneasy and stressed. He did not have time to process what happened to him the night before and now his grandpa was laying this on him.

Did what happen to him last night really happen or was he dreaming? He was not sure anymore, but he knew that the feeling was real and that he had felt his family. He felt his mother.

”It took outside forces 800 to 1000 years to conquer Europe with Christianity. That's thousands of generations of our ancestors fighting against it. Why would the fight so hard against it if it was the truth? If it was right for us? They wouldn't, would they?”

A moment of realization hit Grant. He never felt comfortable in church and always thought it was such a strange and foreign thing to see people bowing down and praying. Was his vision preparing him for this? Not once during the vision did he feel anything about God or Jesus or anything relating to the church. Only reality. That's the only way he could explain it. He always thought it was just him that felt uncomfortable with the church, but maybe it was a natural reaction.

”No, Grandpa I guess they wouldn't. Why do people still go to church don't they know what happened?”

”Some do know, but it's been too long. They need the church now. They have been conditioned to believe that their birth into this world is somehow cursed and only Jesus can save them from themselves, they are weak. They couldn't be farther from the truth. We don't need to be saved, Grant. The only thing we need to be saved from is the church, they destroyed our ways and our traditions. They have done it to countless peoples and nations. Soon there will be nothing left. It's up to us to remember our old ways and who used to be, before the church.”

Grant was taking it all in, he didn't know what to think and he never imagined anyone to speak like this especially his own grandfather.

”I don't know grandpa, what can we do? The church runs everything.” Grant was contemplating. Even though he felt so out of place at the church, he loved the tradition, the order, the stories of saints and miracles, it fascinated him. Was it all just a way to keep him in the church?

”Look, Grant, I'm not asking you to leave the church, I know it may be a comfort to you right now, I just want you to think about what once was. Look at the Native Americans they were murdered for their beliefs and that was only a couple of generations ago. The church has not changed much in the last 1000 years.”

Grant had always been fascinated by American Indians and felt bad about it as if he was somewhat responsible. He never realized that it happened to his own people once too.

”Grandpa, I want to know more about it our ancestors.”

It was as if the dots were starting to connect themselves. The way he felt power over the priest, the vision he had, this talk with his grandfather, his dreams!! He had forgotten about his dreams.

With a flash, the symbols from his vision were back invading his thoughts, he could make some of them out but he didn't know what to do.

”You okay, buddy?” Kurt asked

”I'm fine, grandpa. What did you tell the school?”

Kurt laughed ”I told them there was a family emergency and you would be back tomorrow.”

Posted using Partiko iOS