The Letter

This story had a prompt of the main character receiving a letter with an offer of a life changing event inside. Again it is in raw format.

The Letter

The second I heard the letterbox clatter, I sighed as if I had just sat down with a nice cup of tea. As I struggled, I saw the usual junk mail on the mat and a pristine white-looking envelope. Scooping them all up, I placed the junk mail on the table, taking the envelope with me.

As I settled into my chair, I took a sip of tea and then looked at my lap. The first thing that struck me was the red wax-like seal on the back. Lifting the envelope closer, I tried to determine what the seal said. It wasn’t clear as gently as I could. I broke it.

Sliding my finger under the flap, I opened it up. Inside, I found one single sheet of paper. It was a good-quality paper, too. I slid it out and placed the envelope on the arm of my chair.

I unfolded the paper and saw the neatest writing, small, delicate letters that flowed across the paper.

‘Dear Mrs J. Hail.’ the letter began. Very formal, I thought, and I took a sip of tea before returning to the letter.

‘You don’t know me and probably never will, but I know everything about you. Where to begin? Let us start at the beginning.’

I sighed, and the letter dropped to my lap.

‘Not another one of those damn scam letters,’ I said. Sable, the cat, lifted her head and sighed before tucking it back down again under her paw. I couldn’t help but smile. Picking the letter back up, I decided to read some more. What harm could it do?

‘Do you remember when you didn’t need to worry about things like food, money or warmth?’

I read that bit over a few times and recall those days. They seemed such a long time ago. Food was always on the table, and the food was good and top quality. I once had money and was able to splash out here and there. I recalled the first pair of shoes I bought. Warmth now, that was something I hadn’t had for a long time. This house is so cold. I often look at the heating but think about the already overdue bill.

‘I’m sure you do. Would you like those days back?’

‘A scam,’ I said. Sable didn’t move an inch this time. But I kept on reading.

‘I can help with that. All I need is for you to visit Craymore House and ask for Barney.’

I felt myself frowning. Craymore house, where had I heard that before? I placed the letter on the arm of the chair again and got to my feet. I paced for a few moments, trying to warm myself up. The tea helped a little, but nothing could warm me more than the fire. 

As I sat back down, I picked up the letter again, curious.

‘You have one day from receipt of this letter.’

That was it; it was not signed and didn’t have a return address or anything else. I put the letter on the table and finished my tea. My mind turned the word Craymore house over and over.

I opened the second to last tin of soup and heated half of it. Tipping the thick liquid into the soup bowl, I slopped some over the side.

‘Bugger,’ I said. Sable lifted her head and sighed again.

I glanced at the letter as I sat, but Craymore still wouldn’t come to mind. Perhaps after some food and a nap, it might,  I thought. Sable jumped on my lap and immediately began purring, begging for food.

She jumped down. I rose from the chair and headed for the kitchen. After dishing her up a bowl of food, I made my way back and took another glance at the fire. I still panicked about lighting it.

With my blanket over my legs, I closed my eyes to nap. I woke a short time later, and the name Craymore still didn’t register.

In the kitchen, I made some tea using my last tea bag. I checked my purse, which was barely enough to buy food for Sable. She came first, of course, as my companion for the past ten years.

In my chair, I picked up the letter. I had less than 24 hours to decide to go. What harm would it do? I had one and a half tins of soup left and three tins of cat food, and I was all out of tea. I dressed in multiple layers, of course. I saw Sable snuggle in my chair as I slipped on my shoes. She had a brief wash of her face, then curled up tight.

‘I will be back soon,’ I said. Sable didn’t move an inch. I stuck a note to the front door, telling people a cat was inside in case I didn’t return. You never know, right?

Now, had I given things more thought, I would have planned things better and used the last bit of change to catch the bus, perhaps not old enough for a bus pass. But I chose to walk. It was bitterly cold outside. Thankfully, Craymore wasn’t that far down the road, around a twenty-minute walk for a young sprite like you. For me, it would take around an hour.

Fifteen minutes in, I regretted my decision to go. The cold was seeping in through the layers, biting at the core of my body. I shivered and tried to shake it off.

Thirty minutes later, I stopped and leaned against the wall of the old bakery, which had closed long ago, like most places around here. The numbness was now inching its way through my fingers.

Then the sight of Craymore loomed before me. I had made it.

I recalled the name of the person I was to ask for,  Barney. On the first step inside, I felt warmth flood through my body. My fingers began to tingle as they warmed up, and my toes too. I felt my face flush in an instant.

Across the large entrance hall, I could see a desk with a young girl sitting behind it. As I approached, she looked up and smiled.

‘Hello,’ she said.

‘I am to ask for Barney?’ I said, hoping I wasn’t making a fool of myself.

‘I will fetch him for you,’ the girl said. She stood and headed out through a door behind her. I had to admit the warmth was so good, the tingling was gone, and the chill was vanishing from my bones.

‘Mrs J Hail,’ the voice came from my right. I saw a young man dressed in the finest suit I had seen in a long time. His hair was neat, and his shoes were clean.

‘Yes,’ I said.

‘Welcome to Craymore house. Please come with me,’ he said. I followed Barney through a short corridor for a moment before I asked him to stop.

‘What is this all about?’ I asked.

‘Don’t worry, you have nothing to fear here,’ Barney said.

‘You misunderstand me, young man. I’m not afraid; I’m just curious,’ I said.

‘Why? You have been here before, right?’ Barney said.

‘I want to say yes, but I don’t know?’ I replied.

‘Follow me. Barney said it would all become clear through that door at the end. We continued down the pale blue-painted corridor. Three windows ran down to the right, overlooking a pristine garden. When we reached the door at the end, I hesitated, unsure I wanted to progress further.

Barney opened the door and stepped through. He turned and beckoned me in. For some reason, I was beginning to fear what lay on the white door’s other side. Barney disappeared, and the door remained open. I took two more steps closer and looked in through the open doorway.

A sofa was against the wall to my right, and behind it was a large window with a garden view. Moving an inch, I looked to the other side of the room. There, I saw a small kitchen area and a dining table.

‘You can come in,’ Barney said, coming into view. I took my first tentative step through the doorway. The room flooded with light and warmth. The window behind the kitchen sink was of the garden I had passed in the corridor. At the end of the counter, I could see double doors that would open into that garden.

‘Welcome home, well for now anyway,’ Barney said as he perched himself on one of the dining chairs. I looked at him, wondering what that meant.

‘Would you like some tea?’ he asked.

I nodded.

Barney set about making me a mug of tea. He asked about sugar and milk.

‘One sugar and a splash of milk,’ I said. I sat in the chair Barney had vacated and felt the relief on my feet and legs. It felt like an age since I last sat down. The tea was good, and the biscuits he produced from the cupboard were even better. It was then I noticed the fruit bowl.

‘Help yourself,’ he said. So, I picked up the orange. It had been a long time since I had fruit.

‘So, I’m not sure I understand,’ I said, bringing the conversation back on track.

‘Let me take you back. You recall the name of this place, right?’ Barney asked as he pulled out another chair.

I nodded, ‘I was twelve, I think,’ I replied.

Barney nodded, ‘Yes, do you remember what happened?’

I sat and thought momentarily, then shook my head, but nothing came to mind. I thought it was long ago, and perhaps my memories are fading.

‘Well, it isn’t surprising most people do forget. It is a good thing and part of the process we encourage,’ Barney said.

‘Process?’ I questioned.

‘I will explain: when you were twelve, you came here to begin a new life. At that time, you were at the end of your young life,’ Barney said. I picked up another biscuit and nibbled a bit.

‘That is what we do here. We invite people nearing the end of their earthly lives and offer them the chance to begin anew. Reincarnation, if you want to put it another way,’ Barney said.

I watched and listened to him speak, trying to pick up on what might be a lie or a sign that he was making fun of me.

‘You chose to live again, and from what I know until a few years ago, you had a good life: a husband, money, warmth and a nice home. You were happy. Am I right?’

I nodded. Barney was most definitely right.

‘Would you like that again?’ he asked.

‘What is the catch?’ I asked.

Barney frowned at me, ‘There is no catch. It is what we do. We have helped millions of people live again. Some get to start over and live the life they always wanted. Others choose to have the same as before.’

‘If I say yes, what happens next? I asked.

‘You will live out the rest of this life here. We will go over the plans for your new life, and when the time comes, you will begin again.’

‘What about Sable?’ I asked, my thoughts suddenly turned to my beautiful girl at home.

‘We will bring her here to be with you.’

‘So, I don’t have to do anything. Tell me what life I want to live next, and we can make it happen?’

Barney nodded.

‘No catch?’

‘No catch, as I say, is what we do.’

‘Can I think for a moment?” I asked.

‘Of course, I will give you some time.’

Barney left the room, and I thought about his words. I would be warm again. I would have food and tea—things I miss so badly. I don’t know how much time passed before he came back. He asked me once more.

‘Yes, yes, please.’ I said.