Saturday's Storyteller: "The leaves rustled in the wind as the hairs prickled at the back of her neck."
by Belinda Roddie
The leaves rustled in the wind as the hairs prickled at the back of her neck. It was finally starting to feel like autumn, and yet the chill was so sudden that it settled into her bones like fire, burning away at her sinews instead of cooling down her ever raging temples. She stuffed her hands deep into the pockets of her coat, but after a while, they grew so damp and clammy that she had to draw them out again and expose them to the colder and harsher elements of the evening.
Esther had gone on plenty of walks already this October, but this one was already different. Besides the rapid drop in temperatures, it was getting darker sooner, and that meant that the singing started earlier, too. At first, she thought she heard sea shanties on the wind - perhaps from her neighbor's house, where he liked to hold pirate-themed parties. As she turned the corner to another uniform residential block, the notes of what sounded like a funeral dirge sent anxiety down her stomach like a large, unhindered stone. As she passed another home, she thought she heard weeping and wailing accompanied by the screeching of an organ. Songs and ditties were common in this small town, but tonight, it all sounded different, and none of it was predictable.
Major and minor keys rattled in Esther's ears, and as she finally approached her house, she noticed how frosty the key felt in her hand. Her fingers shook as she let the metal teeth slip into the lock. The door creaked loudly as she waited, with bated breath, for her roommate Sean to notice her.
Her worst musical nightmare awaited.
"Hey, buddy! I have my polka friends over tonight. Want to pass out candy to snotty little kids while we practice our two hour set?"
It all made sense now. Halloween had come again, and far too soon.
This week's prompt was provided by Arden Roddie.
The leaves rustled in the wind as the hairs prickled at the back of her neck. It was finally starting to feel like autumn, and yet the chill was so sudden that it settled into her bones like fire, burning away at her sinews instead of cooling down her ever raging temples. She stuffed her hands deep into the pockets of her coat, but after a while, they grew so damp and clammy that she had to draw them out again and expose them to the colder and harsher elements of the evening.
Esther had gone on plenty of walks already this October, but this one was already different. Besides the rapid drop in temperatures, it was getting darker sooner, and that meant that the singing started earlier, too. At first, she thought she heard sea shanties on the wind - perhaps from her neighbor's house, where he liked to hold pirate-themed parties. As she turned the corner to another uniform residential block, the notes of what sounded like a funeral dirge sent anxiety down her stomach like a large, unhindered stone. As she passed another home, she thought she heard weeping and wailing accompanied by the screeching of an organ. Songs and ditties were common in this small town, but tonight, it all sounded different, and none of it was predictable.
Major and minor keys rattled in Esther's ears, and as she finally approached her house, she noticed how frosty the key felt in her hand. Her fingers shook as she let the metal teeth slip into the lock. The door creaked loudly as she waited, with bated breath, for her roommate Sean to notice her.
Her worst musical nightmare awaited.
"Hey, buddy! I have my polka friends over tonight. Want to pass out candy to snotty little kids while we practice our two hour set?"
It all made sense now. Halloween had come again, and far too soon.
This week's prompt was provided by Arden Roddie.
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