Toward the Museum

He rose slowly, brushing off his long gown, and smiled while closing the books.

"My dear friends!"

Everyone turned their attention towards him.

With eyes fixed on his face, they wanted to listen to what he had to say.

"My dear companions!" Mark repeated the words.

The companions sitting there smiled while watching Mark sway in a dance-like manner.

Finally, after many years, after a long wait, he had finally smiled.

Mark's dance was a bit awkward, but the smile on his lips was very precious.

"A long wait, my companions, they are coming to free me!"

Outside, the church bell was ringing,

and there was a crowd in the market.

Mark was swaying carelessly amidst it all.

The darkness of the dark room was about to end,

but this life was going to darken the lives of many people.

~~~~

"Are all villages this beautiful?"

After spending a fruitful day, they planned to go to the farmhouse in the evening.

Although Grandpa was not fully on board with it,

he had to give in to the insistence of Kathy and Max.

For Liza, the farmhouse located in the mountains away from the village had never been a favourite, and when she and Jack wanted to go there in childhood, Grandpa would stop them.

It was rare for them to stay there for more than a day.

As the day waned, they had packed all their belongings into the cars.

Liza and Kathy prepared a lot of food together, and Grandpa, along with Jack, secured his essentials in the house.

He specially instructed neighbour Melon to take time out to look after Grandpa's farm and animals.

Melon assured them that he would do so,

but in return, he would use the milk and eggs obtained during those days.

Grandpa liked his proposal, but Smith couldn't stop laughing.

"So much simplicity and love! Is he really on earth, or has he come to a planet named love, affection, and feeling?"

When Grandpa saw Smith Grayson laughing, he also chuckled.

A look of astonishment crossed Melon's eyes; this urban guest seemed a bit strange to him.

Grandpa looked at Melon staring at Smith and quickly said,

"Don't say anything about him!"

Meaning, Smith froze.

Melon fell silent.

Grandpa turned,

"Meaning, I know you look more beautiful laughing than any Greek prince."

"Absolutely!" Melon extended his hand cheerfully for a handshake.

"I'm fortunate to have met you!" Smith said politely.

After settling all other matters with Melon, Grandpa started walking back.

Smith was with him.

"By the way, you don't compliment me much!" he said playfully, walking alongside them.

Grandpa paused for a moment,

"Are you saying that this old man is smitten by you?" Grandpa responded to the playfulness with playfulness.

"Oh no!" Smith blushed.

"The thing is, Max was expecting that maybe you would become his fan!"

"Hahaha!"

Both were laughing as they walked away.

~~~~

Following Grandpa's advice, everyone prepared to travel by Jack's small van.

The luggage that was in the cars was transferred back into Jack's van.

"This isn't just a van; it's my love!" Jack said while placing the luggage.

"Why, did you travel with your girlfriend on this?" Max wanted to ask secretly.

"Shut up, Max!" Liza said while arranging the luggage. "It will reopen his heart's wounds."

"Oh! Kathy said, meaning this is a matter of the heart. Jack, have you grown up enough to keep doing such things?"

"A sister is enough to scold me, man!" Jack quickly said as he got into the car.

Easy wasn't getting any phone signals, and she was quite worried about it.

From a distance, Grandpa and Smith were coming while laughing about something. The sky was clear, and there was still time until sunset.

"Grandpa, you betrayed me so quickly!" Jack said with a pout, causing everyone to burst into laughter.

"Oh Jack! Don't say that you're getting jealous of Smith Grayson!" Grandpa asked mischievously.

"What else?" Jack replied.

"If that's the case, my son, keep burning!" Grandpa grabbed Smith's hand.

"Grandpa, you’re forgetting to consider your age!" Max mischievously chimed in.

"Why are you guys bothering my Grandpa?" Kathy quickly grabbed Grandpa's arm and led him toward the car.

A few moments later, they were all seated in the car, and it was moving along the road.

"When we were little, Grandpa used to scare us by saying that there are ghosts in this farmhouse!" Jack shared.

Smith was driving.

Grandpa was sitting among everyone.

"Grandpa, are there really ghosts there?" Easy asked seriously.

"Don't worry; if there are, they'll leave the place just seeing you!"

At Max's comment, Easy shot him a glare,

"And they might have already left just by smelling you!"

Everyone laughed except for Smith and Grandpa,

who knew that even if they were going to the farmhouse, it was to turn the page of a story.

Many stories wait for many people to come and complete them.

Smith's mind was clouded with the words from the morning. The car window was clear; fog was enveloping Smith’s eyes.

Secrets

Is everything he heard true?

Could it really be like this?

Many sentences were colliding with each other.

He was engulfed by the dark room, where various words and sentences collided.

A face suddenly appeared right in front of him,

wearing a long hat and having a tangled beard.

There was sorrow in his eyes, but he said bitterly,

"Nobody's Love Never Completes You."

Smith jolted awake; he lost control of the car.

Everyone's screams were disorienting him.

~~~~

"Grayson, my son, are you okay?" Smith's eyes opened to Grandpa's voice.

All his friends were standing around him, with his head resting in Grandpa's lap,

and tears were falling from their eyes.

"Thank God you came to your senses!"

Smith quickly sat up, although he had not been injured; everyone was perfectly fine.

"What happened?" It seemed as if his voice was choked.

"Nothing, the road was such that the car got out of your control!" Jack quickly took control of the steering and stopped the car.

"By then, you had already fainted!" Max was leaning over him with concern.

"I don't know why it happened!" Smith smiled and reassured everyone.

"It's nothing to worry about; it happens!" Liza comforted him.

Grandpa was the most worried, "His beloved who was unconscious!" Max mischievously addressed Grandpa.

Grandpa wiped his tears.

"I have lost one son; I do not have the courage to lose another!"

Sadness enveloped the entire scene. Wrapped in that sadness, they all arrived at Mark's farmhouse.