Surprise In the Attic | 5 Minute Freewrite: Day 1913 - Prompt: old lady

Ophelia Hawthorn was an old lady. I admit that. But I didn't want to admit it to my cousins. I hated when they yelled out that label within her hearing range. I must admit also that even if we were in hearing range, I doubt she would have heard half of what they said without her hearing aid. All that didn't matter. I loved her and the stories she'd tell about her youth when we were alone. However, today, with a clenched fist, the old lady beckoned to me. I knew I was in for another saga. But unlike my cousins, I had patience.

My cousins were visiting for the weekend. The youngest, they taunted nonstop, accusing me of being the favorite great grandchild. I didn't care.

Silver, stringy hair hung loosely down to her shoulders. Two large flowered bows fastened tightly, kept the unruly strains in place. Deep wrinkles that threatened to cover her nose spread wide across her face. They matched her wrinkled hands. Cat-shaped glasses without the ropes appeared glued to the edge of her nose.

My cousins, ranging in age from ten to thirteen, looked confused as she stretched out her closed fist and smiled.

"Want an adventure?" She grabbed her plastic fan and pretended the outdoor heat was overwhelming.

Surprised, I walked slowly toward her. The others stared in awe, then ran, pushing me to the rear.

"Let me. No, let me. I'll bet it's nothing. What kind of adventure can an old lady give?" my cousins yelled, pulling back my arm. They weren't going to allow me to win the prize, whatever it was.

My cousin Darryl, the oldest and bravest, pried her hand open to reveal a rusted key. He held it up, then shouted, "what kind of adventure is this?"

"Pull the string in the hallway to release the attic entrance." She avoided our eyes while talking as she continued fanning her face. All she heard were the cries of excitement as we rushed inside the house.

Even in daylight, the open attic contained all the elements of a scary movie setting. Floor boards creaked. Cobwebs swung at ease. Darkness surrounded the one ceiling light at the top of a long wicker string.

The only small room stood to the left under a low, wood beam.

After five minutes struggling with the rusty key, we succeeded in opening the door.

In the corner away from the tiny window stood the tall, gray chest. Darryl shoved our hands away and opened the casket-shaped box. A black toupee was the first to fall to the floor. Next, a leg, then, a hand. Marcy, one year older than I, was the first to scream, then cry as hard as she could.

Suddenly, our screams grew louder as we ran from the attic and down the short ladder. Reaching the porch panting, we all screamed at once.

Great Aunt Ophelia laughed while holding her side. She clapped her hands and placed them over her mouth. Tears streamed down her cheeks.

"Got ya!" she yelled. "Who's the old lady now!"

We all just looked at her in astonishment, still frightened from the discovery. We didn't expect our surprise to be Great Uncle Herbert.

"But it looked so real. "What a mean thing to do to us?" Marla whimpered.

"What a mean thing to say "old lady" to my face as though I can't hear!" she quipped, then let out a hoarse laugh.

Her laughter was contagious. We all joined in. At that moment, she didn't seem so old.

"Now come sit down youngsters, and I'll tell you how the skeleton found me!"

Darryl was the first to sit, establishing a clear vantage point. The rest of us gathered on the porch in a circle around her feet with hands under our chins.

She continued, "you see, when I a bit older than you all, one summer I convinced my parents to allow me to work at a traveling carnival that came to our town..."

Great Aunt Ophelia smiled, winked at me, then turned to face the rest of my cousins.

With a straight face, I turned toward them, bursting with anticipation, and suppressing a growing laugh bubble.