Ivy climbed the walls of the church, disguising its beauty behind the dingy green mask. The flowerbeds lay neglected and untouched, with nothing eye catching but shimmering silver trails of molluscs. These were the only inhabitants of this serene and lifeless world.
As the sun set behind the church spire, the long fingers of amber light reached out to the heavens above. Like a blazing fire, it first glowed brightly like a burning flame, the strong colours fading into their final embers. The dying flames then dissolved into the sky like melting butter, as the sky darkened and the sun set, the day slowly faded into night.
The churchyard was then completely at rest apart from the daring nocturnal creatures who occasionally felt the urge to explore.
Just as majestically as it disappeared the sun returned over the distant hills, it was once again as powerful as the day before, flaming like a bonfire. It cast a long murky shadow over the church gardens causing a blackout over the graves. The acres of overgrown dew damp grass enveloped the church and longed for the children to come back with their elated happy faces.
The memories of the children still lived on in the old place, the harmonic voices of the choir could still be heard as it escaped from the cracked windows of the church. The once sought after stained glass was now thick with dust and grime, through the cracks the altar could faintly be seen. The Bible had been laid to rest on the floor; the whole place was left as normal as if after a Sunday service. An empty coffin was abandoned next to the altar, its rich purple lining was still crisp, and the oak wood was exquisitely varnished to perfection.
The atmosphere was almost haunting, the wind echoed through the hollow room bringing an icy chill to the air. Flags from the girl guides billowed in the wind as they stood proudly at the back of the church. The collection plate was full to the brim with generous Christian donations; the tarnished coins absorbed the suns rays. Jesus the saviour was hung high on the north facing wall looking down into the desolate church. The once idolised figure was now left to decompose on the wall unwanted and disregarded. The pipes of the organ towered above the church and were no longer metallic, they were deteriorating in their old age the flakes of rust fell to the floor like sleet.
The church doors loomed like security guards as they protected the forgotten holy world and its sacred assets. The long cobbled drive leading to the gates courteously meandered around makeshift graves and remembrance benches. Cobwebs hung reluctantly from the iron gates, their creators had entwined the silk around them as added protection against unwanted intruders.
An eerie feeling of the dead was present at the gates; over the years it had adopted a haunted image due to the neglect and loneliness to which it had been subjected.
