"Lexi! Are you done with those dishes yet?"
"Almost Aunt Elly."
"When you are finished come see me!"
With a small sigh I dried off the last couple dishes before putting them in their respective places. It was already early evening and I still had a few chores on my list left. Aunt Elly kept me extremely busy, I never had a chance to read or sit down except for when we eat our meals. My body was sore and I was physically exhausted. I haven't even had a chance to call my mother the last few day because my aunt keeps my phone until all of my chores are finished, she says it's the devil device if used inappropriately so she has to watch me closely. I honestly was ready to go home, but I made sure not to voice my feelings or thoughts.
I walked into the living room where Aunty Elly was relaxing on the couch with her Bible in hand. She looked up upon my entrance and stared at me for a moment, causing me to quickly lower my head. Looking into an elders eyes was disrespectful according to my aunt, I was struggling to keep track of her rules.
"Go out for a couple hours. You have been working very hard and have not lazed around, so enjoy this small reward. Just be sure to be back before your curfew."
When Aunt Elly finished her short speech she handed me my phone before going back to reading the Bible. With a huge smile and quick thank you I ran to my room and changed into a pair of grey joggers and a mustard colored tank top that showed my belly button and covered it with a grey jacket. I grabbed one of my many books and ran out the door and made my to the cemetery. The place was absolutely beautiful and well taken care of, even the historical part of it and the quiet relaxed me and allowed me to breathe easy for a small while.
The entrance to the cemetery was coming into view and I began to pick up my pace so I could get to Grimald faster. Spending time with someone (or in this case something) that you didn't have to talk to or force a conversation with made things more enjoyable. But the thought of reading with him made me smile and caused a feeling of excitement rush through me.
Walking towards the back of the cemetery I didn't pass a single person, no one had come to pay a visit to the dead today. This meant that I would have Grimald all to myself and absolute peace and quiet. This thought caused me to run as fast as possible to the oldest part of the cemetery and quickly get comfortable beside the gargoyle with my head leaning on his arm. I opened up my book and began to read while the sun slowly began to set and the graveyard began to get darker.
After an hour of ready my back began to hurt me my butt was getting numb so I stood up to stretch and shivered at the small chill in the air. I wrapped my jacket tighter around my body and quickly settled back into my spot beside Grimald. Looking up at his face I felt bad for using him as a back rest, his sorrowful eyes caused sharp pain in my heart. So once I was settled I began to read allowed to him, at first it felt silly really to a gargoyle but after a few minutes I relaxed and started enjoying it. I had never had anyone to read to because I didn't like talking to other people that much, but talking to Grimald was very easy to speak to despite his inability to respond.
I felt my eyes begin to close as I read and before I knew it I had fell sound asleep with my head on the arm of a cursed gargoyle. The sense of peace I received from his presence was something I had never experienced before. Unfortunately, I was rudely awoken by a loud ringing sound and a buzzing feeling coming from the pocket of my joggers. Groggily I searched until I found the source of the noise before realizing it was my phone and the ringing noise was happening because my aunt was calling me.
"I'm on my way right now Aunt Elly. I am so sorry I fell asleep while reading my book and lost track of time."
"I want you home this instant. I am very disappointed in you and I will not be allowing you the use of your phone except to check in with your mother am I understood?"
"Yes ma'am."
"Good hustle yourself home right now."
With that she hung up on me and I was left in shock for a moment. I had never been grounded or had my phone taken from me before, I always thought I was a good child. Mom and dad were always calling me their good girl and always told me how proud they were of me and now here I am being punished by my aunt.
With a sigh I told Grimald, "I honestly wish I could go home. Your the only good thing that has happened on this entire trip. Hopefully I'll get to visit you again soon."
I quickly walked off with tears in my eyes and my head hung down low while the tears slowly began rolling down my cheeks. As if on instinct my hand reached up to the rings clasped around my neck and grasped them for comfort. For some odd reason they felt slightly warm in my hand but I just told myself I was crazy and just over emotional. But the time I reached my aunts house the rings had cold off, but I was to busy listening to my aunt's lecture on my carelessness to notice. I went to bed without dinner that night, and I fell asleep with tear stains on my pillow case and my hand once again wrapped around the rings.