PHOTO PROMPT © Rochelle Wisoff-Fields
The knock sends arrows of dread shooting through my body and the sound of a train begins to grow in my head. Mary and “the crew,” with their trucks and their cameras, are early. Although Mary was a weak-willed child that was easy to control, she’s grown up to be just like her dearly departed mother; loving, but bossy.
Mary started watching, “Hoarders” on TV and is convinced they can help her help me. Doesn’t she realize every item in this house is a memory of her mother?
Mary watches the trucks fill and thinks, “we’re finally rid of her.”
[100 words]
Rochelle Wisoff-Fields is the steadfast host of Friday Fictioneers.
Tao Talk 
I’m not entirely convinced mother died of natural causes and I fear for Mary
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Interesting hypothesis, Neil. Thank you 🙂
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I have a suspicion that criminal activity was afoot before…hopefully not in the future.
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I have a suspicion also…
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There are always two sides to a story
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Well-said, Sadje.
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🙏🏼
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There’s a novel in this!
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🙂 Thanks, CG!
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A bit of a conflict here…(k)
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Agreed, and I had no plans of ending it that way!
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Writing works like that I find.
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ooh I like a good twist, well written Lisa!
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Kate, thank you very much. I liked looking at the pics you posted today (?) of the birds. That first one is such a beauty!
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thanks Lisa, I had no idea why nobody was commenting … have turned the comments on now! There were many more colourful birds but they flit about so much I couldn’t get a decent pic 🙂
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Cool on turning your comments back on. You got some good ones.
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thanks so much!
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You’re welcome 🙂
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Dear Lisa,
Mary has rather simplistic expectations, doesn’t she? Nice perspective on the cluttered prompt. (I couldn’t wait to get out of that place 😉 )
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Rochelle, it’s a great picture to write to. I thought it was my back room at first 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Lisa
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We all have those spaces, don’t we…sigh. You’re very welcome, Lisa.
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Sometimes you have to let go, hoarding is stressful. Well for me at least.
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I’m getting better about it in a couple of ways. One is I usually successfully resist adding more to it. The other is that, since I realized my sons have little to no interest in a lot of things I’ve been holding onto for them, when I go through a cleaning jag, I toss more than ever. Maybe by the time I’m 100 years old, I’ll only have my rocking chair, a bed, and a few books left to dispose of. Thanks for reading and your comment.
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I tried that, giving things slowly to charity only to have my daughter ask where one of her childhood toys was. She was not happy it went to Oxfam. You just can’t win. Thanks.
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James, you just reminded me that one of my sons still hasn’t forgiven me for giving one of his childhood bikes to a poor kid in our neighborhood, and this was after he was grown and riding an adult-sized bike. He hadn’t looked at that bike in years but randomly was in the garage one day and asked where it was. lol
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There’s a lot going on beneath surface in your story Lisa!
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Thanks, Keith!
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Great twist ending! A haunting can be a pain or a pleasure: perhaps it was time for the junk to go in more ways than one.
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Thanks, Dora, indeed!
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I don’t think so!
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🙂
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Letting go of clutter can be a challenge. As has been said already, this story has the bones of a good novel! Nicely done.
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Thanks very much, Fleur.
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You are welcome 😊
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Oh! Mary was not a fan of her mother! Great twist and it could lead to so many different tales 🙂
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Thanks, Linda!
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Delightful twist. It seems as if Mary’s days will soon be brighter.
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Thank you, Alicia. May be.
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I kind of read the story as the grandmother having psychological issues, rather than something sinister. But maybe there is a body to be found amongst that mess. 😀 Well played story, L.
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T, I like where your mind took this. Thanks! 🙂
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A lovely twist.
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Neel, thanks much!
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Sounds like she might be better just selling the house and moving to totally exorcise her mother. Lots of conflicting emotions here, I can tell. I’d like to read more of the story. 🙂
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Thanks for the lovely comment and glad you enjoyed the story.
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Oh dear, mum wasn’t well loved by her daughter.
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It surely seems that way!
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the last line was a killer. 🙂
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Good choice of words. Thanks, Plaridel!
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Oh, that we could see inside the minds of others. Our loving kin may just be waiting. Fun story, Lisa.
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Thanks, Bill! You just never know!
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Oooh so much going on here! Very well done!
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Thank you 🙂
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I like this. I’m a bit slow with what to do re. linking back … I can’t find the blue frog SMH … hopefully I can work it out and do another one.
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Thank you. If you follow the highlighted “Friday Fictioneers” it will take you to the main post for it. You use the http address there to lead others to it in your own post. Once you write your story on your blog, you use the http address of it for the Mr. Linky link that you will find at the main post. Hope that helps.
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Thanks. I’ll try this.
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Oh nicely layered with the two points of view. That last line is so telling
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Thanks, Laurie!
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Ooh, I wonder what Mary will be plotting next … This is full of intrigue.
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Thank you, Heather. You just never know…
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