An update before mending

I gave up and wrote IPOM fic for the April 1st prompt. Check it out on xdfics. BTW, this is all Charis' fault. YOUR MEME SPAWNS BAD THINGS I AM SO NOT TO BLAME FOR THIS, REALLY.

The apartment is heavy with the illusion of smoke. If there was smoke remaining, it would have triggered coughing fits, so I think I'm just going crazy. There's a haze in the corner of my eye, which disappears completely when I focus right on it. Yep, going crazy.

Furthermore, the skin on my hands smells of ash and Resolve, which is not a nice combination, but I suppose it could be worse. The apartment, however, is heavy with half a bottle of PINK fresh & clean. Should have known that easter present would come in handy! So, barring heater deciding for revenge tonight, I'm hesitatingly calling the latest OH KOL incident over and done with.

Should have first birthday drabble up on the 3rd; I got about 100 words in before I realized I needed to take my time with this first one. >D.

I swear I smelled cherry

When my grandfather died in 1991, I didn't cry, couldn't feel anything but horror, because this gigantic presence in my life was gone, and he'd never hug away a boo-boo or call me Nicky-poo-poo (I was 8). The funeral service was crammed with people, patients and friends all vying for a chance to talk about a man who had touched countless lives. But I was deaf to their words, unable to tear my eyes from the open casket. I was entranced by the grim expectation of a clawed hand reaching up from the casket.

And when I finally was pushed towards the casket to say goodbye, I cried hysterically, because a part of me expected that claw to rise up. Everyone misunderstood, and to this day, I've never told anyone in my family the bizarre reaction I had to my grandfather's funeral.

It all came back today, the horror, the shock, the fading of the heavy musk of cherry tobacco smoke from the Leonard house. I saw a man the very image of my grandfather, laugh lines and all, and I couldn't look at him a second time, because that would have made him real.