Tuesday, October 24, 2017

WFW - There you are

This months Words for Wednesday prompts have been provided by Cindi Summerlin over at Letting the Words Escape. Drop by and let Cindi know when you join in so everyone else can enjoy your take on the words.

Keeping with October's theme for Cindi's last week, the words she has chosen for prompts are from actor Vincent Price's movie titles.

Pendulum, Haunted, Seven, Wax, Raven, Scream
and/or
Tales, Fly, Tingler, Invisible, Usher, Diary

There you are

The fall harvest festival went off without a hitch, she always had a great time seeing all of the children running around and playing the games. The decorations were amazing this year with all of the vivid colors and bright lights, the handmade table centerpieces stood proudly with beautifully arranged pinecones, small pumpkins, and a miniature scarecrow standing next to a burning candle with the WAX already oozing down the side.

The prizes in the silent auction were things she actually wanted to bid on this year. There was a beautiful fall holiday door wreath that she really wanted, the last bid on it was six dollars, Jonathan smiled as he wrote down SEVEN.

Jonathan had been very excited to bring her, when normally he grumbled and tried to get out of going to the festival, but this year he had been the one to suggest that they come. They played bingo and lost every time, but laughed and really enjoyed themselves anyway.

The night ended too soon. She collected the very nice fall holiday wreath that she won in the silent auction and a small DIARY that she had bid one dollar on. Jonathan suddenly began to USHER her towards the door saying that it was time to go home.

They walked out of the door into the cold night air, she grabbed his arm with both hands and snuggled against him as they made their way down the sidewalk, he wasn't talking all of a sudden but at least he was with her.

The streetlights were very dim and she had a hard time remembering the way home, she couldn't see him anymore but could hear his breaths as they walked through the darkness. Jonathan are you still with me? Yes Maggie I am right here. She could feel him patting her hand. She was excited to get home and have her husband hang the wreath on their front door, it will match their decorations so well, but she couldn't remember if they had decorated or not.

Where are you Jonathan? All of a sudden she couldn't see or feel him, it was like he was suddenly INVISIBLE, He was right there a minute ago. Maggie walked towards the street light on the corner, she would have to read the street signs to see where she was, Jonathan, where are you! She called into the darkness.

The bats were swooping down into the light catching the bugs swarming underneath the street lamp. The RAVEN colored bats swooped back and forth, back and forth somewhat like a PENDULUM swinging in the sky, she saw images like this occasionally but had to sweep the thoughts out of her head and carry on.

Maggie continued towards the corner but felt like she was just walking in place, eyes glowed inside the hedges like they were watching her every move, she swore that she could still hear the breathing of her husband walking beside her. Jonathan are you there? She reached for him but felt absolutely nothing.

She heard a rustling sound at her other side and suddenly something jumped at her feet and scurried away with a loud hiss and a SCREAM, she realized the scream was actually her own, as a black cat jumped out of the hedges and ran across the front of her and back into the darkness on her other side.

Mrs. Smithson! She heard someone faintly say, it was almost a whisper like something from a dream or a HAUNTED cry from far away, she felt her head shake, Jonathan is that you? She called again as she made her way towards the corner.

A bat swooped low and she felt the rush of air from it's wing as the FLYing rodent brushed past her ear, a loud high pitched screech grew faint as the bat arched upwards back into the air, the hair on her arms stood erect as did the hair on back of her neck, this sensation was a real TINGLER, she felt the cold chill go down her spine.

Mrs. Smithson! Maggie began running she had to find her husband. Jonathan, where are you? She cried. Mrs. Smithson! Something thumped her arm, Jonathan! She could still see eyes in the hedges when out of the darkness a set of hands grabbed her by the shoulders and began shaking her. She screamed as loud as she could and called her husband's name. Jonathan! But not a sound came out of her opened mouth.

She closed her eyes and tried to scream once again, the shaking continued, Mrs. Smithson! Mrs. Smithson! Maggie opened her eyes and saw a familiar face that she couldn't recall. There you are sweetie, the familiar face said to her.

Let's get you into your chair, they are serving breakfast already and I need to get you down to the dining room so you can eat, before the harvest festival begins. It is going to be wonderful, there will be singing, and TALES from a famous author, also they will have all kinds of...Maggie had stopped listening.

Maggie looked around at the blank white walls and a partially opened door. There was a small dairy on the nightstand with a fountain pen lying across the cover. Where am I? Maggie asked, Where's Jonathan?

40 comments:

  1. It was a spine tingler for a afew minures and then turned into something very very sad. You sure know how to keep a person reading.

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    1. Thank you Delores, I have to work hard to keep up with all of the fabulous writers here like you.

      I definitely appreciate the compliment my friend.

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  2. I continue to be impressed by how easily you "seem" to be able to work all the required words together to create an interesting story. Well done!

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    1. Thank you Jean, They seem to just melt themselves into a story most times ;-)

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  3. You do these with such ease and they are always most entertaining.

    Have a fabulous day. ☺

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    1. Thank you Sandee, I do enjoy writing these.

      A great day to you also.

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  4. These are some great words and very challenging. Of course you mastered the used of them exceptionally well, as always...as it appears did Maggie:-) Mine will appear tomorrow I think...I hope...I plan.

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    1. Hello Annie, Cindi has done a great job with the prompts this month, I look forward to reading yours tomorrow because you always come through with a great story yourself.

      Thank you Annie, your kind words mean a lot.

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  5. Wow, this is spooky, well done Jimmy. Now I'm wondering is Maggie in a padded room? or much older and in a nursing home living in her memories? Either way is quite sad.

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    1. Hello River, You can take this one either way, I suppose it all comes down to how you interpret it, but like you said, end result is the same.

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  6. Yeah, I didn't like where this story was going from the get-go! Lol, I'm a big scaredycat.

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    1. Hi Bijoux, In spite of not liking where it was going I hope you enjoyed it anyway :-)

      Good to see you Bijoux.

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  7. I always hate silent auctions as I never win.

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    1. Hey Adam, I really don't think I have ever won any of the ones I have bid on either.

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  8. This sounds like it's going to be good! Nice going, Jimmy!

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  9. Oh Jimmy. You have tugged on my heart-strings and made my eyes a bit sweaty here.

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    1. Hello EC, I take this as a compliment, Thank you my good friend.

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  10. Replies
    1. Hello Cindi, I appreciate it, you did really good with your October themed words, most of them wrote the stories themselves.

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  11. Great story; sad ending!!

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  12. You've been blessed with an awesome gift and a wonderful way with words. This tale needs to be turned into a short story! I was really feeling the emotion. Hugs...RO

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    1. Wow RO, I am really honored with your comment, it is a blessing to have great friends like you reading my stories.

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  13. You really tackle these challenges in a creative way.

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    1. That means a lot coming from you Stephen, I do appreciate it.

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  14. I have a feeling it won't be too long until Maggie finds Jonathan, and they're together again, and forever. Your stories always make me re-read them, and think. That's a good thing.

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    1. Thank you Val, You are probably right, one way or another they will eventually reunite.

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  15. I forgot the brilliance of including selected words because the story absolutely held my attention. Jimmy, your story-telling is amazing. It's not often I experience deep down emotions when I read. You did that for me.

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    1. Valerie, I am so honored to have you say this, your talent as a writer is impressive, and your faith in me over the years has been greatly appreciated, Thank you my dear friend.

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  16. Somehow, I am envisioning a nursing home and the sad part is that this scene gets lived too many times by those left behind. You really made me feel her fear and terror of being alone.

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    1. Hello Patti, The sad thing like you said is this situation is in fact lived out every day by a lot of folks, whether simply out living your family, or having your mind slowly taken by Alzheimer's and dementia, I have seen this with several people and being alone is the scary part indeed.

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  17. Vincent Price would approve Jimmy, that was fun to read. I hope you're going to finish this story where she finds out where Jonathan is :)

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    1. Hello Denise, A Vincent Price approved piece, now that would be something wouldn't it. I am happy that you enjoyed reading this one.

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  18. So many twists and turns in your piece Jimmy I went back and read it again. So many different interpretations of the storyline as well. Thanks for writing it and I'm hoping that's not 'it' and there's more to come ~ Cathy

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    1. Hello Cathy, I really appreciate your input on this one, there are many directions it could go I suppose, I am happy that so many of you liked it.

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  19. You sure do have an active imagination. Lots of suspense, followed by some scary sadness. That's the beauty of having to use those random words.

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    1. Hey Pat, Those random words sure bring different thoughts into your mind when you begin writing sometimes, it is definitely a fun challenge.

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Thanks for stopping by, jump in and tell me what you think, or just say Hi, I really appreciate your comments.