grandma and teenage girl flying through a wormhole, wide shot "bokeh" Dreamy, fantasy, textured, risograph, southeast Asian, pink splashes, red hues, suspicious, shadow and light, Abstract, No distinct faces, consistency --q 2 --s 1250 --upbeta --ar 9:16

Time Travel Grandma

by Jaylene Benggon Chung
Illustrations created in Midjourney by Jaylene Benggon Chung and Charlene Gibbs

Part I

An old woman and teenaged girl on a couch. sparse, shadows, wide view, dreamy, fantasy, textured, risograph, southeast Asian, pink splashes, green hues, shadow and light, abstract --s 5000 --w 1920 --h 1024 --hd

Ceiling fan rotating lazily, darkness, shadows, wide view, dreamy, fantasy, textured, risograph, southeast Asian, green splashes, red hues, suspicious, shadow and light, abstract --s 2500 --w 1920 --h 1024 --hd

Cut papaya halves on a porcelein plate, shadows, wide view, dreamy, fantasy, textured, risograph, southeast Asian, pink splashes, red hues, shadow and light, abstract --s 2500 --w 1920 --h 1024 --hd

Small table covered in a stack of books and vase of flowers in front of a window with night time outside, shadows, wide view, dreamy, fantasy, textured, risograph, southeast Asian, pink splashes, red hues, shadow and light, abstract --s 2500 --w 1920 --h 1024 --hd

Girl and Grandma sat on the couch, watching television. A ceiling fan rotated lazily overhead, and a breeze filtered in through the curtains. A plate of cut papaya sat on the coffee table in front of them amid stacks of newspapers, mail, and other junk. They sat in silence, laughing a bit here and there, but it was so quiet they could hear the crickets outside. Grandma rubbed her arm.

“Are you feeling ok, Grandma?” asked Girl, quickly. “Is it too cold?”

“No, no, I’m fine, lah.”

“Ok...”

"where did your mommy go?" asked grandma. close up. old woman confused. Dreamy, fantasy, textured, risograph, southeast Asian ,pink, red hues, suspicious, shadow and light, Abstract, No distinct faces, consistency --q 2 --s 5000 --upbeta --ar 9:16

“Where did your Mommy go?” Grandma asked suddenly.

teenage girl sitting on a green couch looking sad and happy at the same time. side view. Dreamy, fantasy, textured, risograph, southeast Asian ,pink, red hues, suspicious, shadow and light, Abstract, No distinct faces, consistency --q 2 --s 5000 --upbeta --ar 9:16

“Huh?” said Girl. “Oh… I think she went to get groceries for tomorrow.”

“Oh,” said Grandma.

More silence passed. On screen, a beautiful and glamorous actress appeared.

A glamorous and beautiful actress, close up, darkness, shadows, bokeh, wide view, dreamy, fantasy, textured, risograph, southeast Asian, pink splashes, red hues, shadow and light, abstract --s 2500 --w 1920 --h 1024 --hd

“Oh ho,” tsked Grandma. “So sexy sexy.”

Girl laughed. “Too sexy?”

“She shouldn’t show too much skin,” Grandma grumbled, then said begrudgingly, “…but she’s very pretty.”

“Yeah, she is,” Girl agreed.

“Like you, you’re very pretty too!” Grandma said. “Your long hair is so nice. I remember when I had long hair.”

Girl smiled at Grandma. “Thank y-”

“Who are you again?” Grandma asked.

Girl’s face fell. She turned away, trying to hide her disappointment.

A teenaged girl sits sadly on a couch. close up. Dreamy, fantasy, textured, risograph, southeast Asian ,pink, green hues, suspicious, shadow and light, Abstract, No distinct faces, consistency --q 2 --s 5000 --ar 9:16

“I’m your granddaughter. Nancy’s daughter. Remember?” Girl asked gently.

“Nancy?!” Grandma said incredulously. “She’s too young to have kids!”

“Oh, well, I-”

Grandma went on. “I keep telling her not to go around with that boy but she doesn’t listen. Girls shouldn’t go around with boys like that, it’s not right.”

Grandma was interrupted by a dramatic kiss on screen. “Oh ho!!!”

A man and woman soap opera stars kiss dramatically, darkness, shadows, bokeh, wide view, dreamy, fantasy, textured, risograph, southeast Asian, pink splashes, red hues, shadow and light, abstract --s 2500 --w 1920 --h 1024 --hd

Grandma laughs and has a twinkle in her eye. Mischevious old woman about to laugh. close up. Dreamy, fantasy, textured, risograph, southeast Asian ,pink, red hues, suspicious, shadow and light, Abstract, No distinct faces, consistency --q 2 --s 5000 --ar 9:16

Grandma leaned towards Girl conspiratorially, a twinkle in her eye. “He reminds me of Winston, the tall one. You remember?”

Girl was taken aback. “Winston?”

Grandma was impatient. “You know, he sits in the front row in math class. Very good at soccer...” Then she said, slyly, “Has a nice behind...” Grandma erupted into giggles.

“Grandma!” Girl exclaimed, but couldn’t help giggling, too. “A nice behind?? Who-”

Grandma got up from the couch to go towards the kitchen.

“You know who I’m talking about,” Grandma said. “The other day, he---”

Just as she walked through the doorway — ZIP!

grandma walking through a doorway in house, dark hall way "bokeh" Dreamy, fantasy, textured, risograph, southeast Asian, pink splashes, red hues, suspicious, shadow and light, Abstract, No distinct faces, consistency --q 2 --s 1250 --upbeta --wallpaper

A 1950s school yard surrounded by jungle. Kids in uniform play soccer in the distance. sparse, shadows, wide view, dreamy, fantasy, textured, risograph, southeast Asian, pink splashes, green hues, shadow and light, abstract --s 5000 --w 1920 --h 1024 --hd

1950s school soccer field in surronded by a jungle, tan buildings, teenages playing soccer, girls standing to the side of the field Dreamy, fantasy, textured, risograph, southeast Asian ,pink, red hues, suspicious, shadow and light, Abstract, No distinct faces, consistency --q 2 --s 5000 --upbeta

Girl and Grandma were transported to a schoolyard.

Two teenaged girls wearing red school uniforms stand on a soccer field. close up. Dreamy, fantasy, textured, risograph, southeast Asian ,pink, green hues, suspicious, shadow and light, Abstract, No distinct faces, consistency --q 2 --s 5000 --ar 9:16

Girl looked down at her clothes and was shocked.

Girl looked to Grandma, and was astonished to see a high school girl in her place.

A handsome teenaged boy wearing a red school uniform plays soccer. close up. Dreamy, fantasy, textured, risograph, southeast Asian ,pink, green hues, suspicious, shadow and light, Abstract, No distinct faces, consistency --q 2 --s 5000 --ar 9:16

Grandma tugged on Girl’s sleeve excitedly and pointed down the field. “Nah, see? That one.” Grandma pointed. “OOH he’s just about to score a goal!”

Through her shock, Girl squinted anyway. “The one with the thick hair?”

Grandma giggled. “Yes, him!! I told you he was cute!”

Winston scored a goal, and the entire team erupted into cheers.

Two teenaged girls in red school uniforms hold hands and jump up and down, laughing. close up. Dreamy, fantasy, textured, risograph, southeast Asian ,pink, red hues, suspicious, shadow and light, Abstract, No distinct faces, consistency --q 2 --s 5000 --ar 9:16

Grandma jumped up and down, shrieking, then grasped Girl’s hands. Girl couldn’t help but join in, then — ZIP!

Old woman and young woman run through space and the stars. fog. close up. Dreamy, fantasy, textured, risograph, southeast Asian ,pink splashes, dark green hues, suspicious, shadow and light, Abstract, No distinct faces, consistency --q 2 --s 5000 --ar 9:16

Grandma and teenaged girl sit on a couch facing a window. sparse, shadows, wide view, dreamy, fantasy, textured, risograph, southeast Asian, pink splashes, green hues, shadow and light, abstract --s 2500 --w 1920 --h 1024 --hd

They sat on the couch once again, still grasping each others’ arms. Girl looked around, confused. Grandma absent-mindedly stroked Girl’s arms, still looking at the television.

“What just hap-” Girl started to say.

Grandma looked at Girl, as if just realizing she was there. She let go of Girl’s arms.

Grandma is indignant. Upset old woman. close up. Dreamy, fantasy, textured, risograph, southeast Asian ,pink, red hues, suspicious, shadow and light, Abstract, No distinct faces, consistency --q 2 --s 5000 --ar 9:16

“Who are you?” asked Grandma sharply.

Teenaged girl feels hurt and sad. Upset young woman. close up. Dreamy, fantasy, textured, risograph, southeast Asian ,pink splashes, green hues, suspicious, shadow and light, Abstract, No distinct faces, consistency --q 2 --s 5000 --ar 9:16

“I’m your granddaughter,” Girl said helplessly.

“Granddaughter??” Grandma was indignant. “I don’t have a granddaughter.”

“But-”

teenage girl about to get up from a living room couch, hesitant, bokeh, Dreamy, fantasy, textured, risograph, southeast Asian, pink splashes, green hues, suspicious, shadow and light, Abstract, No distinct faces, consistency --q 2 --s 5000 --upbeta --ar 9:16

“I need to go to the bathroom.” Grandma got up unsteadily and started going towards the bathroom. “I don’t know what you’re doing here, but don’t steal anything.”

Girl started to get up. “Do you need help, Grandma?”

“Stop calling me that!” Grandma snapped, walking out of the room. “I don’t need your help!”

Grandma gets up to walk through a doorway. Old woman with a cane. Dreamy, fantasy, textured, risograph, southeast Asian ,pink, red hues, suspicious, shadow and light, Abstract, No distinct faces, consistency --q 2 --s 5000 --ar 9:16

A wall of vintage framed photos, bokeh, wide view, dreamy, fantasy, textured, risograph, southeast Asian, pink splashes, green hues, shadow and light, abstract --s 5000 --w 1920 --h 1024 --hd

framed black and white photo of a smiling teenage girl holding a cat. bokeh, Dreamy, fantasy, textured, risograph, southeast Asian, black and white, suspicious, shadow and light, Abstract, No distinct faces, consistency --q 2 --s 5000 --upbeta --ar 9:16

Girl sat back down on the couch, slowly, still looking dazed. She looked around at the photos on the wall, her eyes coming to rest on a framed black and white photo of a smiling teenage girl holding a cat - the same girl that she just met.

Girl shook her head, and got up to follow Grandma. She knocked on the bathroom door. “Grandma? Do you need any help?”

“I’m coming, I’m coming.” Grandma’s voice was muffled.

shadowy head peeking out from behind a closed door, backlit, hesitant, bokeh, Dreamy, fantasy, textured, risograph, southeast Asian, pink splashes, green hues, suspicious, shadow and light, Abstract, No distinct faces, consistency --q 2 --s 5000 --upbeta --ar 9:16

The door opened, and a head peeked out.

“Are you ok-” Girl started to ask, then — ZIP!

To be continued.