Nothing Strange Here · published
Concept Art by Victor Ribbarp
Meet Gertrude Marshall – A spunky old lady with bubble gum colored hair.
As the mother of the current town mayor and wife of the previous one, Gertrude has lived most of her life in luxury. However, it hasn’t always been that way for sweet little Gertrude. As she grew up, her family lived paycheck to paycheck leaving no room for a lavish life. Gertrude met her husband Conrad at a young age and they fell deeply in love. Since that day, she never had to worry about money. Although she tried to stay true to her humble beginnings, she did enjoy being spoiled from time to time.
Gertrude is a chatty lady. She loves to reminisce about the good old days, however, since she lost her love she’s been feeling quite lonely. The only family she has left is her son, mayor Steppington Marshall. His job is to look out not only for his mother, but every citizen in town. Gertrude, as the sweet and understanding lady she is, knows his duty and doesn’t blame him for not visiting more often. She knows his work is for the greater good, even if it means she’ll be lonelier.
To pass her time, Gertrude mostly hangs around outside her house at the edge of town, gazing into the wondrous woods. Occasionally, someone will stop for a quick chat with her, but then continue on with their day, leaving Gertrude to entertain herself with daydreaming. She often thinks of the stories she heard about, but never had proof that they were true.
If Bennie stopped for a chat with Gertrude, what story do you think she’d share with him?