The Golden Arm

Short Story
The Golden Arm
Chantel David
In the late 1900’s in the deepness of the dark woods, outside a little village there lived a man named John Macleod. For many years during John’s late 20’s, he was alone in those woods. When John turned 30 the loneliness started to really bother him. John started speaking to himself, sleeping more, and not eating. John eventually got depressed and almost gave up on life.

One day John woke up and decided that he could not take the loneliness anymore. John packed enough clothes, food, and essentials to survive a long journey. John was going to search for the perfect lady. John was determined to go find a lady that would make him happy and prevent him from being so lonely. John knew that he was good looking, but he did not have the courage before to find a lady. John began his journey to find the perfect lady.

The first town John came across was right outside of the woods. The town was called lovely, but apparently after looking a bit John did not think any of the ladies were lovely.
Next John came across a village John thought he noticed the perfect lady, John only seen this lady from behind. John learned different because when the “lady” turned around, the lady was a man. John rested for a couple of days before he left again.

John began his journey again and arrived in the farming land. John was walking by the harvest grounds and this lady caught his eye. She had long beautiful brown hair, and a nice white smile. John introduced himself to the lady. The lady could not see she was blind. John knew he should not judge someone just because they are blind but John wanted someone that could see him.

John finally came across the town of gold. While walking through the town John noticed it was a very wealthy town. Almost every person he seen had gold teeth. John thought it was very un-attractive that almost every girl had gold teeth. John was about to give up and go home. Then as he was leaving the village, a lady was passing by him. She had nice white teeth, but that did not matter anymore because she had something that he knew he would never find again. John knew that this lady had a quality that he would never lose. The lady had a golden arm.

John followed this lady to her home and before she went into her home he shouted to her. The lady slowly walked over to him because she was un- sure who he was. John said to the lady “I know this sounds crazy but would you marry me?” The lady paused and said “no, are you crazy I do not know you” John told the lady that he never seen another lady as beautiful as she was and that she should just take a chance to get to know him. The lady accepted.

Eventually the two started to date. There was a bit of a problem though, John was not in love with the lady he was in love with the golden arm. Anywhere the two would go John would have a tight grip on that arm. Most would have thought that John wished it was his arm. John and the Lady got married a few years down the road. They did not have any children or want any so they moved into a small town house right beside the graveyard.

John and his lady settled into their new home. Even when they would go to bed John would make sure that he was hugging that golden arm. A few months down the road John’s lady became very ill. John was very upset because he did not know what he was going to do without that golden arm. John did not feel any remorse that she was dying he was just concerned that he was going to lose that arm.

John’s lady eventually passed away because she could not find the care she needed. John had a funeral for her because it was requested by the family. John could not take the fact that he lost that golden arm. Nights passed by were John sat in the window and stared at the graveyard.

One night he decided there was only one thing that he could do. John went out to the shed, grabbed a shovel and a flashlight then started walking towards her grave. John got to his lady’s grave and begun to dig. John got to the grave opened it up the smell was horrible but he did not care. John chopped off that golden arm and wrapped it in a silk sheet then re buried his lady. John got home and was so happy that he got the golden arm back. John ate with the golden arm, showered with the golden arm, took the golden arm where ever he would go.

One night while John was lying in bed with the golden arm beside him he started to stare out the window almost in a daze. John was thinking that his life could not get any better. A few minutes passed, John started to notice this glowing figure in the air by the graveyard. The figure started coming closer and closer. Eventually the figure showed up right by his window. John could not believe his eyes. It was the Ghost of his lady.

The window and shutters blew open and she entered the room. John said to the lady, my lady what happened to your hair. The lady replied it happened when I died. John again asked the lady, my lady what happened to your face. The lady replied it happened when I died. Finally John asked the lady “my lady what happened to your arm”? The lady replied YOU GOT IT!!!!