Seventh Year Ghost Story
My grandmother's story.
In these times, there are often situations of "If I think about it now..."
This is one of those stories.
It was 7 years ago. She contacted me because my grandfather on my father's side had died, so, I hurriedly returned to my hometown. As soon as I arrived I changed into my mourning clothes and I headed over to the wake at my grandfather's house. My relatives were already there kneeling side by side, listening in silence to the monk's chanting.
Every so often, I'd hear a voice from the front saying "What? What's this? Who, what?"
I couldn't see very well from my place at the rearmost of the queue, but it seemed like the person speaking was my grandmother, and each time she would look over her shoulder.
'What's the matter?' I was thinking, as my uncle went to sit at my grandmother's side, and even though it was the middle of the wake, he took her hand and lead her from the room. I became worried too, and followed after my uncle and grandmother.
"What's wrong?" I heard my uncle say.
And my grandmother replied, "Ah, I don't know if it's just that I'm an old lady, but when I was sitting down there was somebody tugging my sleeve! Who would do a thing like that..."
I thought, without a doubt, 'She's a little stunned with the shock of Grandfather's passing, isn't she? It's so sad..." but I hadn't ever heard that my grandmother had become senile, when in reality she was still in such good health that she could help work on the fields.
So now I think 'What was that?' and I still tremble, after such a long time...
In these times, there are often situations of "If I think about it now..."
This is one of those stories.
It was 7 years ago. She contacted me because my grandfather on my father's side had died, so, I hurriedly returned to my hometown. As soon as I arrived I changed into my mourning clothes and I headed over to the wake at my grandfather's house. My relatives were already there kneeling side by side, listening in silence to the monk's chanting.
Every so often, I'd hear a voice from the front saying "What? What's this? Who, what?"
I couldn't see very well from my place at the rearmost of the queue, but it seemed like the person speaking was my grandmother, and each time she would look over her shoulder.
'What's the matter?' I was thinking, as my uncle went to sit at my grandmother's side, and even though it was the middle of the wake, he took her hand and lead her from the room. I became worried too, and followed after my uncle and grandmother.
"What's wrong?" I heard my uncle say.
And my grandmother replied, "Ah, I don't know if it's just that I'm an old lady, but when I was sitting down there was somebody tugging my sleeve! Who would do a thing like that..."
I thought, without a doubt, 'She's a little stunned with the shock of Grandfather's passing, isn't she? It's so sad..." but I hadn't ever heard that my grandmother had become senile, when in reality she was still in such good health that she could help work on the fields.
So now I think 'What was that?' and I still tremble, after such a long time...
<Coach's Honest Opinion>
That, Isshi... when you confuse it with being touched by a shock it's really sad for your grandmother. Instead of 'What was it?' include the reactions of the people around her too, and if you listen and write just a little more of that it would've become an excellent ghost story. However short it is, I feel that this is hiding quite a large ghost story you know.