Free Let's Play in the Garden by John Grover Page B

family took a day to remember Aaron. Pictures of him were placed everywhere. Candles were burned throughout the house, at the garden wall, and within the garden itself.
    Lastly, Simon erected a stone in the backyard that he made and engraved himself. It was plunged deep into the ground a few feet from the wall of the garden. Upon it was inscribed: Aaron Santaneen. Beloved Son and Grandson. 1985-1990 .
    The sun did not shine that day. The sky grew black as onyx as dark clouds rolled in. There had never been a day so gloomy and sad in the lives of the family. They gathered in a circle around the stone and joined hands. A moment of silence was held, and nothing on Earth could break that silence.
    At last Simon spoke. “Aaron was the youngest member of our family. He was the last to enter it and the first to leave it. He was our baby and my last grandchild. We all shall hold a special place in our hearts for him, and although life will not be the same for us, we shall continue on, for I know that Aaron is happy in the place he has gone to. We will never forget him, and I’m sure he will never forget us. For now, farewell, Aaron, and rest in peace, my little one.”
    They departed knowing that their lives would be forever changed. There was a bit of emptiness in them all.
    Someone so full of innocence, love, and beauty was snatched away. It was unthinkable, unfathomable and senseless. It couldn’t have happened. It shouldn’t have happened. Why in all this time would the garden take their youngest? Why?
    Of course, it was well understood that the adults would never mention this again. Like so many things before this, they would bury this incident. Put it behind them as if it hadn’t happen, as if he had never existed. For Merydith and Tobey, it would be far more difficult. They would never forget.
    As everyone left, Merydith stood alone in front of the makeshift tombstone. Tears warmed her face on a day that was uncommonly cold. She stared at the stone, at the words, the lettering and his name—a name that she would never forget, a name that she would honor for the rest of her life. His memory would forever haunt her, and really, she wanted it that way.
    “I will find you someday, Aaron. I promise.” Her tears became heavier and she tightened both her fists in a sworn promise. “I vow that I will uncover what became of you, dearest brother. Dead or alive, Aaron, I will find you.” She placed her right hand on the cold surface of the stone and then glanced into the sky as a streak of blue-tinted lightening lit up the horizon.
    In silence, she returned to the house. It refused to rain the rest of the day.
    ###
    The next morning Merydith awoke to an irritatingly loud sound. It was a constant banging…no, hammering…a loud, constant hammering.
    She quickly cleaned herself up and put on her outfit for today before venturing down to see what all the hammering was about.
    Downstairs, she noticed her mother and grandmother preparing breakfast and setting the table. Simon was nowhere in sight and the hammering continued.
    She walked outside to the porch and watched as Tobey shot a bull’s eye into his target with an arrow. Her memories jolted back to when the snake had nearly claimed her life. She walked off the rickety porch and into the yard. She caught glimpse of a toy truck from the corner of her eye.
    Where’s Aaron playing today? Oh God, Merydith, wha t the hell are you thinking? Damn it, damn it all! She caught herself trying to block out reality again.
    It would not be the first time. Finally, she found her grandfather at the garden’s gate, hammering away, inserting sturdy planks of wood on the gate to reinforce it and adding a padlock to the latch to lock it up for good.
    No! Anger pulsed through her, colliding with dread and panic. She watched in horror as the garden was locked away with all its secrets.
    Why now, after all these years? After all this time ? I made a promise. That garden knows something. It holds