The Likeness

A Ghost Story   Molly grasped the railing for balance. In the dim of the hallway light, the family portraits that lined the stairwell hung curiously ajar. She straightened her grandmother and descended the stairs, realizing they'd all been moved.

Perplexed, she hung them back where they belonged. The next night it happened again—ancestors jostling for position. Only her baby picture remained unmoved, the curly-headed likeness gazing intently at the camera. Then, on the morning of the shortest day, they were stacked at the bottom of the stairs. Hand to her throat she stared at the only one still hanging by a nail.

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In keeping with an old British tradition of telling spooky stories right before Christmas, I wrote this 100-word story for Loren Eaton's Advent Ghosts storytelling event at I Saw Lightning Fall. 

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For Christmas present..... my novel, Let Evening Come is available for preorder.  (I actually have an ISBN which made me as giddy as old Scrooge on Christmas morning!) The description and bio is now up on the publisher's site.

Thanks to all and a happy winter solstice (the joyful return of the sun) and loving holiday season to all. Especially to all the poets and writers at The Storytellers. Now for a brandy ball, a snort, and a little fresh snow.

Yvonne

yvonneosborne.com

Advent Ghosts - The Widow's Solstice

She fumbled with the bottle in the dark and swallowed the pills with a gulp from the tap. The shadows of solstice were just that. And shadows couldn’t hurt, couldn’t walk, stab, or slither. Spineless and inert, couldn’t smash a spider. 

The house creaked, but what old house doesn’t? Beams adjusting to the weight of a thousand feet. But shadows don’t weigh a blink, can’t strike a match, can't block the moon. She grabbed her husband's coat and ran for the back door as moonlight glinted off the blade entering the front, glinted off the keys left hanging on a hook.


This short "ghost story" is for Advent Ghosts hosted by Loren Eaten at I Saw Lightning Fall.  You will find more 100-word (no more, no less) stories there.

Happy Winter Solstice!!