This story! I'd lost it for the longest time and now I've found it, I think I want to do something with it.
I started this one years ago - years and years ago!
Here it is... in parts (sorry, I don't want to overwhelm you).
Pictures from Google
Although he had been dead for seventeen years, she had never stopped missing him.
He was her childhood friend and hero. He had been the one constant companion throughout her early and formative years.
She remembered the countryside walks he used to take her on and the names of trees and plants that he told her and oddities that he would explain to her, such as Fairy Rings and oak apples.
She regretted that once she had to go to school, their walks became less frequent and eventually she began to forget some of the things that he had told her - not all though.
It did not seem weird that he was here and she was hugging him tightly enough to make it difficult for him to breathe, as though she never wanted to let him go again.
“Katie, you have to let go now, lambkin.”
She had not been called lambkin since she was a tiny child, even younger than four and she looked up into his brilliant Forget-me-not blue eyes and her own eyes widened.
She was twenty nine and felt like she was four years old and her beloved Grandad looked no older than she was.
“Grandad, why am I here?”
“All will be explained Katie-lambkin but don’t worry, I have their word that you’ll not be harmed, not even if you won’t help us.”
He took her hand in his and she felt the warm leathery texture of his hand as her fingers closed over the back of it and realised that she had forgotten so many things and regretted losing them all.
She started crying again and as he led her along the field, she wiped both eyes with her free hand and rejoiced in just being with him. Even if it’s just a dream, it’s a lovely dream and I’m going to keep hold of his hand for as long as I can. She thought.
“I knew when you asked if Verdigris was a place or a person that they had chosen the right one. Although your language leaves something to be desired.” She heard the warmth in his voice and knew that he was smiling despite his disapproval. “You’re not twelve anymore.”
“No, I got older.”
He nodded and they walked in silence. She had stopped crying but had to keep looking up at him and at their hands just to make sure that she wasn’t imagining it all.