On the weekend, one of the bloggers I follow asked me if I was still looking for ‘scary stories’. Of course I said, ‘Yes!’ There’s still 9 days left in the month, so if anyone else has a story, link, or even pictures to share, please let me know! 🙂
Pam Wight from roughwighting sent me this story. She teaches creative writing and her blog is a way of sharing her love for the written word. She also talks about the road to publication (or not!). She says this story is not as much ‘scary’ as it is ‘otherworldly’. Anyway, I hope you all like it and pop in to tell her so.
Finally Home
“Belinda. Belinda.”
I heard the name called once, twice, three times and wondered why Belinda did not respond. Whoever was calling Belinda was quite persistent in a loving way.
“Belinda. Can you open your eyes? Come on. You’re okay now. You’re home. Belinda!”
Just for the heck of it, I opened my eyes to see who this Belinda was, and I saw six pairs of eyes staring at me intently. I had no idea who these strangers were, and felt a little uncomfortable with their stares. Couldn’t they turn around and keep on looking for Belinda?
“She’s awake! I knew she’d do it. Belinda! You’re back. Alleluia.”
I had no idea which one of the strangers was speaking as I heard these words, because no one’s mouth opened. Yet, hear them I did, and as much as I wanted to close my eyes and go back to wherever I was in sweet repose, I couldn’t because of their constant chatter.
“The guide said she’d make it back, but we didn’t believe her. The guide was right,” said one soft-spoken voiceless person.
“I knew it could be done, but I worried about Belinda. Would she have the strength to come back?” commented another.
“She doesn’t quite look like herself. Do you think it will take long to . . .”
“Quiet!” I thought silently. Even though they all shut up, I surmised they heard me because their eyes grew wider and deeper in color.
“Who is Belinda? Why are you all hovering over me? Where am I? I feel like I’m floating and have no place to tether. Answer me before I think of more questions!” I pleaded, again silently, because by now I decided I was watching a silent movie in my dream and I might as well play along with the dream-maker.
“Belinda, you haven’t lost your sense of humor.” Stranger #1 clapped her hands together. She was tall and wore a long chiffon-like wrap that flowed to her feet. Her long gray hair was straight and sleek, and she had the nicest smile I’d ever seen: angelic and wise and loving.
“Angela!” I called out in my mind without even thinking.
“It’s coming back,” said Stranger #2, whom my mind was beginning to identify as Max something, maybe Maxine, Max . . .
“It’s Maxwell, Belinda, and I must say, you are looking splendid. You’ve been away for awhile. Floating, as you say, but away from us in mind and soul. You were the chosen one, to see what it was like in the other world, the non-floating one, let’s say for simplicity sake. You were our guinea pig, and thank God, the pig has survived.”
I gave him a rueful smile and said, “Pig? I don’t know about here, but in the place I just came from, a pig is a fat slob who does nothing but eat all day.”
All three strangers laughed gaily, though again their mouths never moved. They thought I was joking! I slowly raised my head to make sure I hadn’t somehow become a fat pig and noticed with some alarm that I had been lying on absolutely nothing. I was floating. I began to sway in consternation, flailing my arms a bit, and Stranger #3, Harvey (!), my loved one, grabbed my right arm and held me steady as I stood on my feet. My knees buckled, so I leaned on Harvey. Harvey! How could I forget the man I love more than my own beating heart! My soul swelled at the thought of him, and I swooped up and flew around the room as if I was a bird in open air with the blue sky above me, and the ocean below.
My three friends clapped without using their hands, and I returned to stand in front of them.
“Oh, the stories I have to tell,” I began wordlessly. “But first, let me revel in the lightness of my being, in the song of my soul, in the joy of your love. Those on the other side rarely even catch a glimpse of this kind of existence. How do they do it? How did I do it?”
The three of them enclosed me and held me firmly without moving a step. I was finally home.
Thank you, Pam for sending me your story so I could share it with my readers. 🙂
Please take the time to visit her website, as she always has an interesting story to tell. Most recently, she was a ‘princess attendant’, an enviable position to be in, so drop by and read about this wonderful adventure!  🙂
mywithershins 