That Day

Ruth grinned sweetly,"'looks pretty sturdy to me." she tested the fence with her palm."I guess it'll have to do." Ben said, nailing the last rivet into the fence. "What you wearin' your best dress for, then?" Ben said with a grin appearing in the  corner of his mouth. He stood up and held her by the hand, his smile breaking over his face. Ruth ran her fingertips through his hair and smiled as well, "Come oninside y' big lug." They walked along the path together hand in hand , right past the old woman watching in the chair. She looked  up at them, her mouth was wide open with the hint of a smile, she listened anxiously, the screen door squealed shut. The old woman closed her eyes and mouthed the words as the door continued to squeal, "Y' better get that fixed, Ben." The couple disappeared and dizziness swept over her again. The screen door slammed shut and the old woman opened her eyesagain. The front yard was barren, there was nothing there but dirtwhich was pushed in to a few piles around the yard. There wereempty cardboard boxes beside her on the verandah. She could hearfaint voices inside the house. There were no fences in the yard,she could see the houses next door and across the street. Therewere a few empty blocks along the dusty dirt road. A box was laying in the front yard with the printed words; "Stenson's gates-complete with new wonder hinge and latch."A boy ran past the house. He was wearing a sailor suit. Alittle girl ran behind him (his sister), she was wearing a ballerinas costume. The old ladys mouth dropped again. The littlegirl ran after her big brother, she tagged him on the back."You're it John!""No way, you're a blinking cheat Ruth, I was barley an' you knowit." John protested. They had slowed and John was walking back tothe house with his arms crossed, ruffled that his little sisterhad beaten him. His sister was trying to keep the pace but Johnkept speeding up every time she got close.A golden Labrador ran out of the doggy door. The old ladyreached outher hand, the dog ran past and ran through the yard. The old lady's expression suddenly turned gray. Her hand grabbed through the air, her fingers stretched out into a reach. The dog sped to the end of the road towards the two children, the old lady tried to speak but couldn't. "Look out." she breathed. The dog raced up to the children and leaped into the air, towards John. The old womans mouth looked as if she was biting into something that wasn't there, she tried to stand again and fell to the ground. There was no verandah. A car screeched around the corner about two houses up.