Since many of you in the Northern hemisphere are celebrating Halloween this week, I thought I’d break from the norm and offer up a ghost story.
Sadly, I wasn’t born with a sixth sense, so I can’t really say I know what its like to see ghosts. However, what I lack in psychic abilities I seem to make up for in my freaky dreams. If they’re anything to go by, I’m rather glad I missed out on that sixth…
Dad and I arrive at a place a long way from nowhere – bare paddocks of dry grass and thistles. And as Dad proceeds to share his vision, I feel a rising sense of unease.
It’s not bad…it’s got a good outlook.
The ground’ll need a bit of work, but – bit o’ lime an’ blood an’ bone – away you go!
A market garden here, an’ some fruit trees over there. Maybe a bramble bush or two…
The house is not too bad, either – a bit of patching up, that’s all. Good as new…
By now we’re standing among the ramshackle remains of an old farmhouse. And by that I mean, ruins.
There are remnants of an old stone chimney, and nearby, half a house where the roof, in parts, has fallen in.
“Are you sure you want to go to all that work?” I ask.
It had potential, maybe. Once. A century or so ago.
We wander through the house as Dad dreams the Great Australian Renovator’s Dream.
There’s a dark dining room, and a servery window to the kitchen – a place for Mum to serve the meals, it seems.
“Where will you live in the meantime?” I ask.
Absentmindedly, I pull out a long drawer from under the servery window.
“…elp me, help me…” come the pathetic cries of a sinewy body, dressed in a white bonnet and frock, that lies in the trundle shaped drawer. Boney fingers claw at my face, too weak to lift her frame, “Help me!”
I shriek, jumping back from her reach. She slumps and rolls her sunken eyes at me, fingers weakly grasping at the air. “Help m-.”
I slam the drawer shut, unable to breathe. We have to get out of here.
I rush through a gaping doorway to what once might have been an open, thriving kitchen.
Half of the room adjoining an outhouse is now a weed infested courtyard.
The other half – the corner with the servery window – still has a roof.
Dad stands there. He talks as if nothing is wrong.
It’s quite alright. A roof over our heads, that’s all you need…
But in the corner, below the servery window, where a benchtop should have been, is the sinewy body of a woman lying in an exposed drawer, dressed in a bonnet and frock, clawing at the air and crying, “Help me! Please, help me!”
“Dad, you can’t buy this place,” I say.
Only, in his own trance, he was deaf to the tune that invaded my waking nightmare.
I realised then what happens when we find ourselves trapped in someone else’s dream…
Work your fingers to the bone, whadda ya get?
Boney fingers…
Boney fingers…
Happy Halloween, everyone!
Do you see ghosts?
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Images under public domain by Vincent Van Gogh, courtesy wikipaintings.org, appearing as follows:
Barn with moss covered roof (1881)
Kettle over a fire and a cottage by night (1885)
Head of an old peasant woman with white cap (1884)
Skeleton (1886)
Alarna Rose Gray 
What a clever post! and what Freudian depths there must be in that dream!!! Loved the Van Gogh illustrations – perfect
a beautifully written little piece…
Thanks so much, Valerie! I’m always a bit nervous about putting fiction on a blog, but it did seem to suit the occasion. As for Freudian depths…we best not analyse those! 🙂
This is great. Clever twist. Love the illustrations.
Glad you liked it, Lynne. I can only wonder what Van Gogh would think of the misuse of his paintings!
Reblogged this on OyiaBrown.
Thanks so much! 🙂
I love your writing, Alarna! I totally, thoroughly enjoyed this piece. Thank you!
That means a lot, Lynn… You are the queen of spooks 😉
Oh, this is awesome. Me love much.
Me love that you love it much 😉
Hi Alarna, we are new to your blog, courtesy of 4 a.m. writer, and are already fans. Absolutely loved the post! A perfectly haunting tale, for this time of year and written beautifully. As for Van Gogh, I think he would have approved in this case. Looking forward to your future posts.
Thank you so much – how lovely to meet you from 4am writer, who I also enjoy! I’ll take your word for it on Van Gogh – his early works are certainly haunting. See you over in your ‘corner’ soon, and many happy returns to you for Halloween 🙂
My older five-year old twin son blindsided me yesterday; I was serving breakfast and as I sat his plate in front of him he shrieked, “Oh Em Gee Mom!”
…I NEVER use acronyms while speaking, and I have no idea where he learned this. I thought this phrase was reserved for post-pubescent (female) teenagers.
The comment was both startling and delightful in its unexpected and sudden ingenuity. I couldn’t help but love it.
That’s very much the feeling I experienced again, while reading this post. Startling, unexpected; a minefield of bright burning synapses and wavelengths. You took us on a fun ride. Love it.
Hahaha…Your son sounds like he’s inherited a bit of your spark there, Brandy…though it is scary to think where they pick this stuff up! Do you watch Modern Family? It sounds like a line out of there 🙂
Wonderful – loving the ride you just took me on then, too. Hope the day has plenty more OMG moments in store for you 😉
I love your writing Alarna! Very clever!
Oh, thanks Rita! Glad you enjoyed 🙂
This is great and spooky and entertaining all in one! You wrote it with such presence that I was caught up in the moment and really believed that such a thing happened! Great detail and descriptions, Alarna. A perfect Halloween treat. 🙂
I’m delightfully tickled by your compliments! Thank you 🙂 Glad you enjoyed the spooky treat…luckily, we can say it only happened in my head. Which is bad enough 🙂
Ok, you had me at “ramshackle remains of an old farmhouse”–that already is scary to me. 🙂 I am fascinated by the idea of ghosts, but don’t really think I want to see one. 🙂
Haha, hope I didn’t transfer my nightmares onto you, then! 🙂 Maybe we could opt to see a friendly one, instead, and then we’d know…
I agree with everyone here–clever clever clever!!!
Aw, thanks Nina! Maybe there’s hope for my dreams yet 🙂
Thank you for stopping by.
Thank you for staying a while 🙂
I enjoyed your story. I liked Dad’s dialog and could picture him.
Thanks for the compliment! One always hopes to paint a picture 🙂