There’s a lullaby for suffering
— Leonard Cohen, from
“You want it darker.”
She’s running, her lungs sucking air. She’s lost on a mountainous path. She’s being pursued; by whom or what she is unsure. Focused on behind, she trips on a tree root and hurls forward, airborne, and lands on sharp granite. She feels a presence closing in…
and startles awake.
“Ah, there she is!” says a deep, raspy voice from overhead.
She looks up. At least twenty feet above is a hewn opening in the rock, maybe five feet in circumference, with iron bar lattice and overgrown vegetation. She feels her ribs, which brings sharp pain. She winces and nausea waves over her.
“So sorry, I wanted to winch you down, but you were banshee fighting,” the voice says.
She looks up again and sees the outline of a face holding two green gems for eyes.
“I’ll lower the syringe. There’s a lullaby for suffering.”
[144 words]
top image: photo by © Patrizia Pinello at Dreamstime.com
Don’t ask me why my muse takes me where she takes me, but this is a twisted tale that combines St. Patrick’s Day with Silence of the Lambs.
Björn is today’s host for dVerse’ Prosery Monday. Björn would like us to write a 144-word story using the song lyric at the top.
Tao Talk 
I almost hoped that it was all a bad dream of hers, but no it was infinitely worse (and worse to come from those two green eyes)
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Yikes! Any horror story involving a syringe and a sadistic psychopath is far more frightening to me than any number of chainsaws. Well-written, Li.
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I hear you, Dora. Thanks!
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You’re welcome, Li.
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Well you twisted those things together nicely!
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Many thanks, Randy. The muse had her way with me today.
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Ooh. That took an even darker turn.
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St Patrick’s Day added to Silence of the Lambs will do that…a twisted tale indeed, but Steven King started in the same vein…
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Begorrah, Cujo, it puts the lotion on its skin!
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I LOVE the dark tone of this piece, tremendously cool.
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:) <3
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You definitely went darker, Lisa…those green eyes do not a happy St. Patrick’s day make!
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You do know how to write an intriguing story, Lisa. Well done.
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Thanks, Dwight :)
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You are welcome, Lisa.
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That was very freaky, Li!
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Sorry to freak you out, Nolcha. Maybe should add a warning label to it?
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You do travel down some strange paths…but it’s always worth following. (K)
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Great comment and most appreciated, K.
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very interesting
thanks for dropping by to read mkne
much♡love
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Thanks, Gillena! You’re welcome.
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This is going to be chilling for her.
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Sadje, I really wanted to have the 2nd part be a dream also, but I ran out of words.
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Yes, that is what happens when there is a word limit
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Lisa, this is such a vivid, eerie tale! The way you weave suspense with the Cohen lyric feels haunting to me. 🎶
Much love,
David
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Thank you, David. That Cohen lyric is haunting to me and so influenced the story.
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👏🏻 👏🏻 👏🏻
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Well that was a dark piece of prosery, the reader could feel the tension from the beginning not knowing where the words were headed. A creative piece of prosery.
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Thanks, Truedessa, I appreciate your feedback on the story.
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How effectively you combine St Pat
with lambkin silence – just like that!
Captivating aegrotat –
my love to you; I’m buying a flat.
xxx
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Kathy, thanks much. Congrats on the flat!
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Intriguing and a little frightening in the last line…
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Thanks, Steve!
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My pleasure!
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That was wicked good, Lisa! Perhaps the dream is the better place to be.
Yvette M Calleiro :-)
http://yvettemcalleiro.blogspot.com
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Yvette, I think you’re right. Great comment <3
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Ooer… One must be careful running on mountainous paths. You never know when you’ll come across a green eyed monster with a syringe. 👏 Enjoyed this, Lisa.
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Lesley glad you enjoyed!
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You led me up the garden path of hope then dashed it, I love this, unpredictable and tense.
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Thanks, Paul!
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