Nightwish (An Echoes of Eternity Novel Book 1) by Sydney Bristow Page A
Authors: Sydney Bristow
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on eBay, because I’ve never seen customers enter the shop.
I’d spent very few days here with Grams. Then as now, I had no idea how Grams remained in business within such a tiny building that smelled of stale bubblegum. She’d assured me that most of her business transactions occurred each morning, since senior citizens were often interested in antiques, and many of them rose early.
To my amazement, Grams never failed to meet her financial obligations. We always had a roof over our heads, clothes to wear, and food on the table. Even though she only operated the shop during the business week, she closed up at 3:00 PM daily. I’d concluded that she hid something significant from me. It always seemed odd that she’d close after my school days had ended, regardless of the grade level. After a while, I presumed that she just wanted to spend time with me, since we only had each other.
“This is where it shall begin,” Grams said. “And end, given your perspective.”
“What are you talking about?”
“The beginning of the end.” She let out a deep breath, as though expelling years of exhaustion. “Thank heavens!”
That admission baffled me. “I don’t understand.”
“Oh, you shall .” A wicked grin appeared.
I had no idea what she meant, but the certainty in her voice splintered my support. On one hand, I wanted to believe Grams, who had never let me down. On the other, she sounded like a raving lunatic. Why would I kill my mother and sister? How could I trust one word out of Grams’s mouth? But I only had experience to guide me, so in the end, I did my best to reign in my fear.
“I don’t understand,” I repeated, hoping that would encourage her to explain things.
“Time will reveal the mysteries that confound you.” A vibrant smirk took hold of her, and she laughed as though anyone who dared dispute her would perish in the flames of hell.
Oh, not again! Grams’s true self had retreated and what I now referred to as The Intruder had taken her place. Her response and her expression seemed so out of character that I didn’t take her statement seriously. Nevertheless, I heeded her advice, no matter how ludicrous it seemed. Even though she wasn’t in her right mind, I needed to play along to get any answers she might provide.
“Grams, what’s going on?”
When she didn’t respond, I ignored her demented smile and looked elsewhere, only to discover something completely unexpected: instead of marking the end of the shop, the back wall shimmered in a purplish haze, revealing another room beyond it.
Until today, a white concrete wall had taken up that space, although the door that led to the alley still remained to the right. I closed my eyes and looked again…only to see the same glimmering barrier. “How is that possible?”
“Pardon me?” Grams asked, oblivious. She yanked out a pile of manila folders from a drawer at the front desk. Then she looked up at me with a crazed expression. “How is what possible?” She returned her attention to the paperwork on the counter.
Since she’d looked up at me, Grams should have seen the room at the other end of the shop. Perhaps her vision had failed her. But even then, she would have noticed the purple effervescence. At the moment, however, the secret room captured my attention, so I walked down the corridor and approached the wall, watching it ripple and glean. But I couldn’t quite identify what lay inside the room.
“Ah, the peculiarities of youth,” Grams said. “If you continue on as such, I shall place a call to the constable and ensure that you are locked in chains and restricted to an asylum.”
Constable? Then her remark registered. She thought I was nuts. She’d threatened to call the cops on me! I turned around, but she stood behind the front counter, rifling through one folder after another, searching for something she must have misplaced. I wanted to hurry over and bicker with her again, but the pull of this miraculous
I’d spent very few days here with Grams. Then as now, I had no idea how Grams remained in business within such a tiny building that smelled of stale bubblegum. She’d assured me that most of her business transactions occurred each morning, since senior citizens were often interested in antiques, and many of them rose early.
To my amazement, Grams never failed to meet her financial obligations. We always had a roof over our heads, clothes to wear, and food on the table. Even though she only operated the shop during the business week, she closed up at 3:00 PM daily. I’d concluded that she hid something significant from me. It always seemed odd that she’d close after my school days had ended, regardless of the grade level. After a while, I presumed that she just wanted to spend time with me, since we only had each other.
“This is where it shall begin,” Grams said. “And end, given your perspective.”
“What are you talking about?”
“The beginning of the end.” She let out a deep breath, as though expelling years of exhaustion. “Thank heavens!”
That admission baffled me. “I don’t understand.”
“Oh, you shall .” A wicked grin appeared.
I had no idea what she meant, but the certainty in her voice splintered my support. On one hand, I wanted to believe Grams, who had never let me down. On the other, she sounded like a raving lunatic. Why would I kill my mother and sister? How could I trust one word out of Grams’s mouth? But I only had experience to guide me, so in the end, I did my best to reign in my fear.
“I don’t understand,” I repeated, hoping that would encourage her to explain things.
“Time will reveal the mysteries that confound you.” A vibrant smirk took hold of her, and she laughed as though anyone who dared dispute her would perish in the flames of hell.
Oh, not again! Grams’s true self had retreated and what I now referred to as The Intruder had taken her place. Her response and her expression seemed so out of character that I didn’t take her statement seriously. Nevertheless, I heeded her advice, no matter how ludicrous it seemed. Even though she wasn’t in her right mind, I needed to play along to get any answers she might provide.
“Grams, what’s going on?”
When she didn’t respond, I ignored her demented smile and looked elsewhere, only to discover something completely unexpected: instead of marking the end of the shop, the back wall shimmered in a purplish haze, revealing another room beyond it.
Until today, a white concrete wall had taken up that space, although the door that led to the alley still remained to the right. I closed my eyes and looked again…only to see the same glimmering barrier. “How is that possible?”
“Pardon me?” Grams asked, oblivious. She yanked out a pile of manila folders from a drawer at the front desk. Then she looked up at me with a crazed expression. “How is what possible?” She returned her attention to the paperwork on the counter.
Since she’d looked up at me, Grams should have seen the room at the other end of the shop. Perhaps her vision had failed her. But even then, she would have noticed the purple effervescence. At the moment, however, the secret room captured my attention, so I walked down the corridor and approached the wall, watching it ripple and glean. But I couldn’t quite identify what lay inside the room.
“Ah, the peculiarities of youth,” Grams said. “If you continue on as such, I shall place a call to the constable and ensure that you are locked in chains and restricted to an asylum.”
Constable? Then her remark registered. She thought I was nuts. She’d threatened to call the cops on me! I turned around, but she stood behind the front counter, rifling through one folder after another, searching for something she must have misplaced. I wanted to hurry over and bicker with her again, but the pull of this miraculous
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