Sable Lit Reviews Spooky Special: The Grave I
By LMReviews on Oct 8, 2008 in Multicultural Contributors, Multicultural Writing
THE GRAVE
By GW Pickle
I’m drunk and my dear wife is dead. Looking at the cemetery I feel my stomach start to contract. The sun is almost down and the moon will soon change the warm colors of day to the cold black and white of night. I pour myself another drink and rapidly drain the glass of liquid courage. Why did you have to have a graveside reading of the will on the eve of your burial? You made tons of money with your psychic healing show. Look what it got you, six feet under. Helping people, you Charlatan, in the end you couldn’t even cure yourself.
The driver lowers the partition. “It’s time Reverend.”
I sigh. Time to meet your attorney, dear and learn what’s in your will. The driver opens the door for me. A nippy breeze swirls fallen leaves around my feet as I get out. Approaching the gravesite I find the attorney sitting at a small white table next to the headstone. On the table are two burning black candles and a bottle of wine.
Looking up she motions for me to sit. “My name is Linda. I was your wife’s and am still the foundation’s Attorney. Sorry for your loss, Mr. Davila. I know you had your differences but she did love you.”
“She had a funny way of showing it.”
“Rev. Davila, since you are the only beneficiary I will begin.”
“Please, it’s dark and this place is giving me the creeps.”
The headstone glows as Linda touches it. Ariel’s image appears. She is dressed in a white silk toga. Her iridescent eyes probe mine for a moment before she speaks.
”Bill, I have instructed my attorney to sign over my entire estate to you, in the morning, provided you do the following two things tonight. First you must join me for one last drink. You will have a glass of wine then pour the remainder of the bottle over my grave. Second, you must spend the rest of the night alone with me by the grave. Linda will observe the first condition and then check on you several times during the night. If you leave the gravesite for any reason before six AM, you’ll forfeit everything. One more thing, no cell phones and no visitors, so please give Linda your cell phone and open the bottle.” Ariel’s image disappears and the stone goes dark.
“This is crazy. I can’t stay here. I’ll contest the will.”
“Then you will lose everything and it will take years and money to fight. Take some free advice. It’s only for one night and in the morning your net worth will be at least twenty million.”
“But it’s cold, where will I sleep?”
“I have a warm coat and a sleeping bag. Just lay it down next to the fresh dirt, slip into the bag, and cover your face with the coat. The next thing you know it will be six and you can go home a very rich man.”
Shaking my head, “She wins one last time.” I hand Linda my cell phone and she gives me the wine. “How long did you work for my wife?” I pop the cork.
“Fifteen years, I started working for Ariel my last year in law school. After I passed the bar, she made me an offer and I stayed on. This is a once in a lifetime job.”
“How did you put up with her for that long? I bet you had plenty of problems with her ego.”
“The only problem I had was earlier this year when she tried to cure my dad’s cancer. Something went wrong and she got sick. In six months’ time I’ve lost my dad, my best friend, and my boss.” A single tear escapes her otherwise stoic features.
I reach in my pocket and offer her a handkerchief. “I’ll make sure you’re well taken care of.”
“Thanks.” She daintily blots her eye then hands me a glass. “I’m sure you will or as they say die trying.”
“Something like that.” I half fill my glass and take a small sip. “Burgundy isn’t one my favorite wines. If I must drink wine I prefer a dry white.”
“This was her favorite and it is her party.”
“Then this will be what I use to commune with the spirits and honor Ariel’s last wish.” I toss down the remainder then proceed to pour the rest of the bottle over the grave. Kneeling at the head I insert the neck of the bottle into the loose dirt.
Linda shakes her head. “I must leave but I’ll be checking on you throughout the night. The coat and sleeping bag are behind the gravestone.” She rapidly makes her way to a car parked a few feet away.
After she leaves I inspect the camping gear. Something falls at my feet as I unroll the sleeping bag. I pick up a silver hip flask; a note is taped to it. I sit in one of the chairs and using the candlelight read the note, “For use later on when it gets cold”. I stand up to relieve myself. “Well Ariel since I can’t leave and I do have to go.” Standing over the grave I start to urinate. The earth rumbles beneath my feet and a pair of green glowing hands grabs my crotch and pulls me to the ground. I pass out. I awake and find I can’t move or speak.
Ariel’s image appears on a very small TV screen. “By now Bill you are awake. Welcome to the afterlife. Well not quite yet. You see I’m not dead yet. I cast a spell on myself to slow things down. My body will die in a couple of hours. There will be no pain or suffering. I bet you’re wondering how you got in my coffin. Well there was a spell on and in the bottle of wine. The switch took place when you pissed on my grave. Why do this? You cheated on me, several times in fact, and I have unfinished business, How’s that for revenge?” Everything goes black.
Stay tuned for Part II tomorrow!
