Back in March of 2021, I took down most everything I had posted to my little corner of Wattpad with the intention of going through it all and deciding what to keep and what to bin. Most everything of which I'd keep would get a once over.

A year had passed by such time as I came back across this little piece. Quite a few moons ago now, the lovely Miss rosaimee had posted a little piece on her page and when I saw it, I thought I must get my hands on that. So what follows is her tale after I got my hands on it. I must say, I likes this. Perhaps it may be something worth revisiting again and extending ...

Mama Ines has passed away three weeks ago now. She had been a large lady, large in many ways and had been loved by the entire community she had belonged to, a community she had been very active within. Mama lived a full life; despite her above average size and the long-lasting illness that eventually took her, she remained active and as active as she could be right up to the very end.

Her home, once that end came, felt so big, so empty without her. The place always was a hive of activity, so many people came and went, bringing something or other with them for Mama or leaving items to be collected or gathered by someone else. Now? Now, these three weeks on, there was nothing, nothing but emptiness and silence.

A moment of dread came for Ana. She had decided to come and clear out her mum's house and then maybe put it up for sale. Every time she had confronted the thoughts of having to sell her mum's house, the house she herself grew up in, she couldn't help but break down and cry. Some things just have to be done.

Coming in through the front door and into the hallway, Ana could almost see that hive of activity that once was, the coming and goings, the joy, the love, all those bits and pieces, now just ghostly images all around which soon fade away into nothingness. To stay standing at this moment proved to be something a difficult task. All Ana felt like doing was dropping to her knees and allowing her heart to pour out of her through her eyes.

'C'mon' spoke Sebastian, Ana's husband, as he put a loving hand on her shoulder, 'we can do this, together we can get through anything.'

Ana felt unsure as to if this should make her strong, help put a smile on her face or make her cry all the more uncontrollably. With Sebastian by her side, Ana decided to go with the former. She does not have to be alone; she is not alone. There is much she can draw strength from.

'Where would you like us to start?' asked Sebastian.

Ana took in a deep breath and allowed it out slowly.

'There are boxes packed and ready to go in the living room if you would like to begin taking them out to the van. I am going up to the attic; most of Mama's personal stuff is up there.'

'Alright my love, holler for me if you need me.'

'Sure.'

Ana watched her husband make his way into the living room and then slowly began to make the climb up the lengthy wooden staircase. Sebastian came out of the living room with the first of the boxes in hand. He watched Ana moving upstairs for a few seconds then went outside. When he came back in, Ana was no longer anywhere within his line of vision.

The attic was dark and gloomy. It smelled of mould and dust. Ana pulled on a chain until there was a click. A couple of lights flickered on, though done little in the way of illuminating the room. Inside there were plenty more boxes along with wooden framed mirrors and other things that looked like they belonged in an attic but the first thing that really caught Ana's attention was the sight of a large varnished wooden trunk.

The sight of this trunk was almost haunting, as if it just may be something which could possibly be older than the house itself. With the trunk being a little over twenty feet away Ana in a way felt compelled to move straight to it. With a nearby cloth, she wiped away some dust from the front and top of the trunk and then opened it. The first thing within the trunk that Ana would see was Mama's wedding dress. Seeing this filled Ana with awe, the dress was stunning, it still is stunning.

Ana had been on her knees when she opened the trunk, so she moved to her feet and took out that dress. She moved to stand in front of one of the larger mirrors, imagining what she herself would look like wearing that dress.

She soon returned back to the trunk. The second thing that caught her attention was that of an old photo album. Ana couldn't resist opening it and instantly she began to wander through the collection of photographs, many of which were quite old indeed. One of these photos disturbed her, made her feel confusion, anger, and other emotions. It disturbed her so that she closed the album and put it down to one side.

The next thing to catch Ana's attention was that of white envelope, an envelope addressed to Ana herself. This surely cannot be. Why would there be a white envelope with Ana's name on it in such an old trunk, filled with items from many years gone by? This must be something recent, for if it were something written many years ago, then surely the colour would have aged.

Inside the envelope there was a letter, a letter meant for Ana's eyes.

My dearest Ana,

If you are reading this, then you must get up right now and leave. Get out as quickly as you can, for he is near, and he is watching ...

There were more words on the page, but Ana was once again interrupted by the photo album which lay on the floor next to her. Strangely, very strangely the album opened all by itself. It moved page by page until it came to that photo which had disturbed Ana so much.

From where he was making his way back into the house, Sebastian could hear his wife scream. He began to move as quickly as he could up to the attic while calling Ana's name though when he got there Ana was not. She was not in the attic and when he went looking, he would find that Ana was not anywhere, well not within the house anyway.

Further inspection brought attention to that photo album; it brought attention to that photo which had invoked so much emotion within Ana. The photo was of Mama Ines as young lady, sitting on a wooden chair. Beside her stood a man, a man in a suit, a man who looks just like Ana's husband Sebastian. The likeness is such that it simply must be him ...