by O J Gwyne
Struggling along a wind-blasted moorland road, a ragged little girl clutches a faded blue shawl over fair wispy hair, its frayed ends clutched tightly beneath the chin of her small defeated face. She is alone.
“Sweet little thing,” says Simon, nodding at the painting. “Not sure it’s worth £60 though.”
Martha shakes her head. “I don’t think it’s sweet at all.”
Simon disappears while she’s still speaking, leaving her with only a CCTV camera brazenly positioned at eye-level. Acutely aware of being watched her neck prickles. Outside a breeze has picked up.
Simon reappears. “Best price they can offer is £55.”
“Don’t buy it.”
“You liked it a minute ago.”
“It isn’t me who likes this sentimental tosh. Poor consumptive little thing,” says Martha, looking again at the sallow-faced child. “What a terrible journey she’s on.”
Before another argument erupts she walks out, out into a deserted tourist-trap street of tea shops and knick-knack emporiums. Above her a decrepit shutter bangs to and fro on an attic casement, dust and litter blow past.
That evening Simon takes down a reproduction Turner hanging in the holiday cottage’s living room and replaces it with his new purchase, only to discover the frame’s warped. Turbulent air currents swirl beneath the eaves as he frets and fusses and, despite the inevitable misalignment, he calls to Martha to come and admire the painting.
“Thursday” he says, “a child with far to go.”
Martha is jolted awake in the night by the wind’s persistent shrieking. Simon’s dead to the world. Brittle with disorientation she rises and goes to the window. Wreathed in moonshadow with pointed, half-starved features obscured, a small figure battles towards the cottage. Martha can feel a dark eye fixed upon her. The ragged little girl has not much further to go.
January 26, 2017 at 5:06 am
Fantastic imagery. The description of the little girl stayed with me long after I finished reading. The painting is delightfully haunting, akin to the story itself. Thanks for the great read!
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January 30, 2017 at 6:07 pm
Loved this, very creepy, great use of language, well utilised, great opening too taking the reader in one direction then putting them in the modern day and age.Love the phrase ‘tourist trap….tea shops.’ Leaves reader with eerie feeling. 🙂
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February 3, 2017 at 10:39 pm
Note to myself: Use the word ‘moonshadow’ more. Excellent!
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February 5, 2017 at 3:21 am
The dialogue is interesting and believable, good work.
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February 5, 2017 at 4:40 pm
Makes me want to add…”And I have miles to go until I sleep”
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February 6, 2017 at 9:01 pm
Brilliant, chilling and thoroughly well told tale. I loved the juxtaposition of the tourist trap street to the painting itself and the sense of dread created at the end! Well crafted!
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March 22, 2017 at 11:27 am
So much achieved with so few words. Horror perfectly captured.
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