The wind often kept her awake at night, words from the past echoing through the vacant rooms and through her head. A branch from the black walnut tree scraping against the bedroom window like her dead mother's screeching voice. Her mother's voice saying she was too fat, too slow. That seam was crooked, the cake dry, the floor not clean enough. Her mother's voice in praise of one sister's talent at the piano, and the other's beautiful hair, porcelain skin. The two brothers both clever and strong certain to make fine husbands. Her mother's voice telling her she would never marry and seeing to it that she didn't. A lifetime later her mother's voice calling out to collect the breakfast tray, calling out to change soiled sheets, calling out for her red pills.
One morning soon, she would have that tree cut down and would finally stop listening to her mother's voice.
20 comments:
Loved it, Les! What a fabulous photo. Both gave me scary tingles. Boo!
Frances
Another great Halloween post! Creepy and wonderful.
What? More,please. You had my full attention.I hate her mother already.
Happy Halloween, Les!!
The wind can be a cruel mother.
Cutting it down sounds too quick and clean, I think setting it on fire might be more fitting (after all her mother sounds like a witch anyway)
I do hope this is fiction! Very creepy. I love the image. Happy Halloween!
Well done Les, another good one!
*shudder*
My mind is thinking of several endings to that sinister little tale. It's eerie that I see lots of windows but no doors on that house....
Les, Hope you had a great Halloween. This is a great piece of writing that makes me think of things way to close to home. My mom was a 2nd child who could never manage to live up to her mother's high expectations. She wasn't as smart as her older sister and or as pretty as her youngest sister. A bad mother can be devastating in a life long kind of way.
Wow, I don't like horror movies.
Great reading Les, I love it! Great Halloween story!
I am reading Alice Munro's "Too Much Happiness" short story collection and your story is quite along the same lines!
Very chilling. It left me wanting to read more!
Poignant and evocative. I think the tree should shot be dragged through the streets. Any substitution here is fine with me.
Hi Les, i just came in via Tina's. I should have seen this earlier as you have great amazing photos. I browsed on the older posts and they are all very inspiring. thank you.
I hope everyone enjoyed my very short story for Halloween. I took the picture at Windsor Castle Park in Smithfield and the house just looked like it had a story to tell. Hopefully not one so bleak.
Thanks to all of you for your comments.
Les
Great image and imagining. Or did you know her mother?!!
Hhhmmm . . . my word verification is "shout". Sounds like a conspiracy.
In this story read some Kafka or Walpole atmospheres! Great Les!
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