This little tale was an impromptu response to a fellow blogger’s prompt. He asked that I tell him a story. I asked what kind of story, and his response was “a fictionalized account of real life.” The following is the story I told him.
~
The house was situated a quarter mile back from the main road, though there was a straight shot from the front window to the traffic beyond. For the most part, people steered clear of the little house set apart.
It’s not that it wasn’t part of a larger community; it was. But the occupants never acclimated to the area, nor had the townsfolk ever warmed to them. It certainly didn’t help matters that the woman was a bit touched in the head. She could be spotted walking the sidewalks, muttering to herself, wringing her hands, her eyes glazed over as though she wasn’t focused on anything.
At least not on anything anyone else could see.
Following the general rules of communities such as these, the local gossips cast aspersions on the small family which consisted only of the woman and her three children: one boy and two girls. No one knew if the father was in the picture or if, in fact, the woman had simply conjured them up. Such can be the nature of small town gossip.
On the day of the Annual Harvest Festival, nearly all of the townsfolk gathered around the main square: bobbing for apples, getting face paintings of cornucopias and pilgrims, carving pumpkins, taking hayrides in old Farmer Wilkerson’s rig, the usual Harvest Festival activities taking place on Main Streets all across America.
All save The Spooks that is, which is what the townsfolk had taken to calling the little family that avoided social functions without fail. It was a relief, really, because people grew quiet, wary, fearful even when the family was around, say in the grocery or the little three room schoolhouse.
On this particular day, the woman was out on the porch, rocking rocking rocking in her chair. She stared out at nothing.
At least not anything anyone else could see.
The boy and the younger daughter had wandered off to the nearest neighbor’s orchards to relieve the leaf strewn grounds of their sweet apples and tart pears. The elder girl was in the back of the house, taking a bath.
She locked the door before getting undressed, as anyone with an older brother is wont to do. Stepping into the bath, the hot water turned her pale skin a deep shade of pinkish red. As steam fogged the mirror over the sink, her ever-present anxiety elevated. Thoughts of Bloody Mary and other schoolhouse nonsense flitted through her mind. But she cast them away and commenced washing. She was a bit hurried in her actions now, though.
The house was quiet. Too quiet. The others were gone, but the mother should have begun preparations for dinner by now. Wringing out her washcloth over and over, squeezing it along her arms and upper body, the girl rinsed and prepared to finish her bath.
And then it happened.
She gripped the washcloth so tightly that her fingernails dug painful crescents into her palm. Mouth agape, she watched as the knob on the bathroom door slowly, silently twisted. First all the way to the right. Then all the way to the left.
The lock was still in place. This shouldn’t be happening. It’s simply not possible.
She held her breath and was struck by the fact that there were no sounds at all as the knob turned again and again, moving slowly as through molasses.
She finally found her voice and called out, “James!? Caroline?! Mama??” No one responded to her calls, but the knob slowly ceased it’s turning.
Cautiously rising from the now tepid bathwater, the girl wrapped her dripping body in a ratty towel and tiptoed toward the door. Heart pounding at her rib cage, she unlocked the door and jerked it open.
Eyes wide, she clutched her hand to her chest and backed into the bathroom.
When James and Caroline returned with potato sacks full to bursting with their contraband, Mama was nowhere to be found.
The worried duo found their sister wearing Mama’s nightgown and slowly rocking in Mama’s rocking chair on the porch. Try as they might, they could get nothing out of her.
The girl’s eyes had glazed over, and she muttered unknown words in a barely perceptible whisper. Ceaselessly wringing her hands, she stared off at nothing.
Or at least not at anything anyone else could see.
~
THE END
Pretty good stuff. Nice mix of the creepy and real. Thanks for the post.
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Sweet – thank you!
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Sooo creepy! You are a very talented writer Stephallaneous. This one makes me want to leave the bathroom door open.
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Yay! Thank you so much! And I’m sorry I’m just now replying to your messages. You got stuck in my spam for some reason!!!
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Wow! Steph, this is great👏🏻
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Thank you, Rita!!
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awesome
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Thank you!
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Great description of setting and characters. Nice!
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Thank you so much for that compliment! I went into mini-panic mode when he asked that of me. But I went for it. Stressful but fun. I kinda dug the challenge!
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That’s kind of what I need- someone getting in my face and challenging me to write a story on the spot ha ha:)
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Yeah, I was completely stumped and even said no no, I love when people tell me stories, but I’m terrible at it.
Boy wasn’t having it.
So I went for it!
Maybe YOU need to write a story right now, then!
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Aww, I’m going off to bed now. Maybe I’ll try to remember my dream and think about it on my way to work tomorrow. Thanks for the challenge! I wrote a story last weekend during the snowstorm, though, so I was at least inspired by that! https://woundedcat.wordpress.com/2016/01/23/iraqi-snowflake/
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Okay, okay – and I’ve been thinking dreams would be excellent fodder for posts! Good idea!
Goodnight and sweet dreams. 🙂
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So sorry to report that I failed at remembering my dream last night. The only thing that came out of me today was a poem. https://woundedcat.wordpress.com/2016/02/01/reminder/ You are way better at this than I am- I am not worthy! lol:)
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You stinker! I hate when I forget my dreams. And there’s no way I’m better than you are!
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Well, let’s just say you’re in the lead for now and I’m just trying to catch up!
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Hahaha! A little competition, eh? 😉
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I’m so not competitive. I’ll just wave the white flag right now and proclaim you the winner! 😉
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Hahaha naw we’ll call it a draw!
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Ok- done!
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Thanks- goodnight!
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Sooo creepy! This make me want to leave the bathroom door open!
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YAY! I’m glad it had an impact on you…just because that means maybe I did something right!
Thank you!!
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You’re welcome Stephanie 😊 Sorry for the repeat comment, I just wasn’t sure where my comments were going. 😊 It really was a great story.
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No no! No sorries. 🙂
Thank you so much!
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Great story!
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Thank you!!
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I’m reminded of the cabin from The Evil Dead. Wonderful, yet creepy! Loved it, Steph!
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Ooooo if I reminded you of that, then I’m headed for the big time!
Haha…I kid. But I love that movie!
Thank you!
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Me, too. Have you seen the TV show based on the movies?
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WHAT?! NO! TELL ME! GIMME!
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Seriously! Plus Bruce Campbell is playing Ash, too.
http://www.starz.com/originals/ashvsevildead
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OHMYGOSH Thank you!!!!
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You’re welcome!
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Wow wow wow wow….and did I say yet, WOW? Incredible and creepy….wow.
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You flatter me, woman! Thank you!!
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Oh and sorry for creeping you out again. 😀
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I liked it….I love creepy stories…..and in awe of the amazing minds that can come up with such cool stuff😊
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You’re the bestest!
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That’s pure, dead, brilliant, Steph! (As they say in Scotland). You could write a book or a script out of this. I hope your friend didn’t want a sleepy time story… 🙂
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Haha I dunno what he wanted, but that’s what he got. The only other specification he added was “please nothing gory.” Probably because I’d shared a highly disturbing dream I’d had. He didn’t want a repeat of that. 😀
And thank you, Kerry! I have very very little confidence, but you and others surely do make me feel good!
You’re awesome!
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No, you’re awesome! I think nightmares and disturbing dreams are a side effect of mental health medication. I never used to have them until I started taking medication in my 40s. Now I have them very regularly and although they upset me, I try to keep them in perspective (it’s not real) and move on. They are a small price to pay for feeling better in the daylight hours. One of the good side effects is that I am now confident enough to write my best work.
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I can definitely say my remembered dreams have picked up, but I’ve always had the occasional scary one. The last one involved a skinhead being held down by two thugs while this other dude all in black (who was dream me) trying to get info out of skinhead. When he wouldn’t dish, let’s just say pliers and teeth were involved. That one actually jerked me awake….I’m gonna blame that one on the drugs. 😂
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EEEK! That’s pretty scary and that would have jerked me awake too. I hope you have more pleasant dreams tonight. Think baby animals, butterflies, glitter and unicorns. 🙂
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Haha thank you! Last night was morbid, too. The frequency of them lately tells me you’re probably right on about the meds.
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Ask the doc about them next time. Try to do soothing things before bed. Lavender bath – NO battle games!!!
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Hahaha but I like my games! Haven’t gamed in months, though. 😦
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Well maybe just unicorn and glitter games… 🙂
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You know what happened to Charlie the Unicorn, don’t you?
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LOL!
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Hahaha shit. Maybe I DO have a morbid imagination. 😉
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CREEPY!!! Nice job!! 😀
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Yay! Thank you!
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You gave me the chills, woman! You are truly a gifted storyteller, and I’m not saying this because you’re my friend.
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You totally ARE! I’m kidding…I am. Thank you. 🙂
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Attention Peopleaneous! 2016 is the year when Stéphanie starts to accept compliments! It is also the year when unicorns will be flying in a city near you!
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Ahahaha! And when perhaps a Stephanie will be flying near you!
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Regarde, c’est un ovni! Attends….c’est plutôt Stéphanie!!!!
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Ooh, I don’t like it.
Far too scary.
Bring back funny Steph please.
Much prefer her….
Great story Steph, you really do have a talent there young lady, even if it did give me the willies…!
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Hahaha! Well gimme a topic to write about that can’t possibly be scary!
And thank you. Sorry about the willies!
(No I’m not!)
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You are rotten 😉
I’m just about to go to bed and now I have a vision of a freak show in my head and going slightly bonkers…..!
Write a story about me, if that isn’t too self absorbed…!
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Well now you’ve given me a vision, haven’t you?
A story about you?! Haha! Hmm. I shall think on it!
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A nice one though Steph…. After all I am told I am a very nice guy…!!
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You can be nice. What’s that got to do with me?
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Just as long as any story reflects me in my Peter Perfect light…. NOT!!!
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You said Peter.
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I did….!
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Although I did used to be a complete bastard…..
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Ahahaha!
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😉
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😱😱😱😱😱
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Hahaha oh no!
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Great story!!!
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Thank you so much!
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Reblogged this on unstilledheart.
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Thank you!
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You’re welcome:) Paul
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