Young Writers Society

“Just trust me Tyler. Come on.” She pulled my arm and led the way into the shop.

The shop smelt of cigars and menthol. It was very wooden; wooden walls, wooden flooring and wooden furniture. The front room was quite small. The walls were covered with shelves and the shelves were full of objects- all of them small. The back room was much, much larger and was full of bigger objects. Sitting in a rocking chair behind the till was an old man rocking and smoking a cigar. His eyes were closed.

Chantal went up to the desk the old man was sat behind.

“Excuse me?” She said. He opened his eyes and looked quite surprised.

“Yes madam, how may I help you?” he said slowly getting to his feet.

“I was wondering if you had a plant pot here?” she said.

I had no idea what she was doing, or thinking.

He looked around the room.

“A big one,” she added quickly. His eyes moved to her. He nodded once and then beckoned her to approach him. She looked back at me, winked and then followed him into the back room.

I looked around the room, I saw no cameras, but I couldn’t be sure. I looked at the window where the snow globe was. I walked slowly towards it a peeked out of the window, to see if anyone was walking past, or even acknowledging the shop. The street was empty. I reached out and grabbed the snowman. I held it in my hand for a few seconds, staring into its big diamond eyes. I got this strong feeling in the pit of my stomach. I felt as though things were going to change. I don’t know what was going to change, or how, or when but I was almost certain they were. Then I saw it again, it winked, I swear it did, I don’t know how, but it did.

I heard Chantal cough. It was loud enough for me to hear and know that they were coming back through. I shoved the snow globe into the pocket of my jumper and held it there so it looked like I had my hands in my pockets. I went back over to the desk and leant forward onto it.

“Sorry I couldn’t help. Maybe you could come back in a few weeks and see what we have then,” the old man said.

“It’s OK, I’ll look elsewhere. Thanks anyway,” Chantal said.

She entered the room with the old man slightly behind her. She raised her eyebrows at me and I raised mine back with a smile.

“Bye for now,” she said walking out the shop.

I waved at the man and followed her out.

“Did you get it?” she asked as we turned the corner. We were now on our way to meeting Mum at the café.

“Yes,” I replied. I took the snow globe out of my pocket and passed it to her.

“Wow,” she said, grinning at it. “Lyla’s going to love this, she’ll be so happy.”

“I know.”

We crossed the road and saw the unthinkable: Mum sitting down and talking to, Grandma. I didn’t believe what I saw. I shook my head and blinked a few times just to be sure she was really there. She was. Chantal turned to me, eyes wide and mouth hanging open. She suddenly ran the rest of the way up to Grandma and hugged her.

I walked up to them at a slow and steady pace, holding on to the snow globe that was back in my pocket. I wondered why she was here; this was miles away from our home and more miles away from hers. I knew that her being here could only be a fluke. But it still seemed a bit of coincidence how I had that feeling earlier that things were going to change and then Grandma suddenly showed up.

“I’ve missed you all so much,” she said as I hugged her.

We all sat down at a table in the café listening to Mum re-tell everything that had happened to us. A few heads turned, but we didn’t care. Grandma made a range of faces, shocked, horrified, at some points she looked as though she would cry. She kept apologising for everything, even though none of it was her fault, she had no idea of what was happening to us.

She hugged Mum and said, “Come home with me.” It was then that I knew that things were going to change, and I knew that it was the snowman because I had that feeling again as I held it in my hands underneath the table. This was definitely, the most unusual thing I ever stole.