Old woman

Old Woman

My mum asked me would I go and visit the old woman down the street,
"she is lonely and needs someone to talk to, I am too busy today". " I
know it is not your thing, but she needs someone today, I thought you
could just help me out this once" mum said. "Do I have to I wanted to
go to the pictures and watch a film" I replied. Reluctantly I agreed to
go.

Got myself ready for a very boring afternoon and took off down the
street. As I approached the house I noticed that the curtains were half
drawn, thinking this strange. It was a dull cold day with very low
threatening rain clouds. I shivered a little and was not sure why. Went
up to the door and there was a very large knocker, no bell. Picked up
the knocker and it sprang onto the door making a very loud noise.
Making me jump back, thinking gosh why does it have to be so loud. I
waited and waited, when I was just about to give up and turn around the
door opened. No one was there. The door opened on it's own. It felt
almost like it had read my mind.

Not really scared, but a little frightened, I went into the house and
called "Hello". Nothing, the hall was very bright and the wallpaper was
all covered in flowers' of all descriptions, it reminded me of a county
cottage garden, but on the wall. I walked down the corridor and knocked
on the first door I came to. There was a noise, but not a voice.
Pushing the door open I entered the room. It was quite dark inside,
because the curtains were half closed. There was a roaring fire in the
grate and two large chairs either side of it. A small table was
situated in the corner and a nice large ornamental lamp was on the top,
giving a very low glow across the room.

I looked around to see what could have made the noise. I could not
describe the noise it was just there. Maybe I had imagined the noise.
There appeared to be no one there. From behind the other door that I
had not seen came a very old woman. She was bent almost over double.
"Hello" she asked, "Have you come to chat to me". It seemed that she
knew who I was but I had never seen her before.

"Hello" I replied. "My mum sent me, her name is" "I know who your mum
is" "Would you like me to tell you a story, all about my childhood when
I was your age"

So we settled down and the old woman began her story&;#8230;

I found it fascinating to hear of all the things that had happened to
the old woman, I visited her each week for the next five years until
her death. It was a very interesting friendship and I learnt many
things about life from her. I am only fifteen now and did not really
know what it was that I was afraid of when I was ten except that I
thought the old woman would not be fun. How wrong I was.