Tuesday, July 30, 2019

Short Story #2

STALKER


I love doing landscaping
Luckily I even get paid to do it
I knew as soon as I woke that day
Something wonderful was going to happen

It was a very hot morning
I'd been replacing bushes for hours
The new owners wanted flowering ones
Gotta keep the customers satisfied
They picked ones that will accent the place
I leaned on my heels to stretch my back
Something pulled my eyes to the door
There she stood
A goddess come to Earth
Simply gorgeous!
She must be the daughter
Oh how the sunlight dances upon her hair
It's long and a perfect chestnut brown
Deep auburns mingle with the darkest brown
Seems to flow in gentle waves down her back
My heart is in my throat
I can't remember how to breathe
She turns and notices me
Her lips curve into a delicate smile
She waves at me and I wave back
Her eyes sparkle with mischief
A hint of desire in them as she coyly looks at me
Then she runs off
I shake my head and turn back to my work
Wish these bushes would need more attention
I must see her again
I finish and she hasn't returned
My heart aches with the desire to see her
I go to the door to report the completion of my work
The lady of the house walks out to inspect
We chat and I ask if the girl was her daughter

"Yes,"  she replies, then shakes her head.
She just turned 15 and thinks she's an adult."

"She's so beautiful.
Kids want to grow up too fast these days."

Changing the subject, she says "These look fantastic!
They will bloom this year, right?"

"Glad you like them, you made good choices.
They should bloom next month.
I'll come back for a few weeks to fertilize, just to be sure."

"That will be great!
Here's $250 for today, as agreed.
I'll pay for the upkeep weekly, if that is ok?"

I take her check, and smile accepting her offer
My mind goes back to thoughts of her daughter
I so want to see her again
Then I glance at the check--wait a minute!
"This is too much! I think you made a mistake."

"No, you did marvelous work and everything is neat.
It's just a tip to show my gratitude."

"Thank you. And I am very grateful. I've never had a tip before.
Well, if there is nothing else, I'll be going.
I'll come back next Saturday morning if that is convenient?
Just water these for about an hour every other evening."

"Okay, see you Saturday."

I left, smiling.
Saturday, just seven days and then
I WILL see her again
My angel, my soulmate

It has been two weeks and I haven't seen her again
Where is she? Is she worried our love will be denied?
She must know we are meant to be together
Tomorrow I will wait down the road
Surely she must come out sometime
I see her coming now
She's on her phone
Her voice is like music to my ears
She laughs at something
Who has the right to make my love laugh?
Oh, but her laughter rings in the air
It dances with the beat of my heart
She sees me, she smiles then hesitates
What's wrong?
She looks worried
Then her face brightens
She remembers who I am

"HI" she says, "You're the gentleman who put in our bushes a few weeks ago, right?"

"Yes, I believe I saw you that day.
I've been back fertilizing the last three weeks but I never saw you again.
Thought maybe you were a dream
It was hot that day."

“I went away to riding camp,” She giggles.
I go every summer so I can learn to ride horses."

"That explains why I hadn't seen you.
"I'm Paul."

"I'm Angelique, but my friends just call me Angel."

"Can I call you Angel?"

"Yes, well it is nice seeing you again
I must be going. I'm meeting my friends at the mall."

"The mall?  That is a pretty long walk from here."

"Oh, I catch the bus on the corner, it should be there any time now.  Gotta run, bye!"

"Have fun. I hope to see you again."

I watch her walk away
Her body sways in the most sensuous rhythm
She looks back over her shoulder and waves
Yet her eyes tell the truth
They burn me with the heat of their desire
Every week now I watch her as I work her parents landscape
She has been writing in a notebook
It must be important for she pauses a lot
I love how she nibbles on the pencil while she thinks
Her head tilted slightly
I finally call over to ask what she is doing

"I am writing my first novel," she says.

Then she runs over and animatedly tells me about it
Just to experience being so close to her enthusiasm,
Makes my heart race
Her mother calls from the door

"Gotta go, thanks for letting me tell you about my book
"You are so easy to talk to."

"Any time, any time at all!"

Again she smiles and looks back at me
Beckoning me with her eyes
Begging me to have her
Images of her flood my mind all day
Finally home I let my fantasies free
In bed my thoughts race
My dreams are filled with Angel
My Angel
I must find a way to be with her
She's my world
On Saturday I finish my work
She walks over to talk for a minute
She said she was on her way to the mall again

"Mom and dad grounded me, but they’re not home, so . . ."
Then she laughs

"I could give you a ride if you want."

"Would you? That would be great, it is so hot!"

I smile. Finally!
I open the door for her
She is surprised it is so clean
"I bet you thought it would be dirty because of my job."

"No...well...yes, I guess I did"

"I'll be a minute.
I need to wash up before I get in.
I have water back in the trailer."

I watch her as I clean up.
She is looking around.
Glad my supplies are out here.
I climb in and slide the bottle in my door's pouch.

"You do keep it nice in here," she mentions.

"I try. Please put on your seatbelt, this thing beeps if you don't."

"Sure, sorry I don't usually forget that."
She smiles at me, her eyes sparkling.
Wow I can't believe she is finally here.

I pull away from her yard and head to the highway
My doors lock automatically
She jumps.

"Don't your parents' cars have auto-locks?
I thought all newer vehicles did."
"I don't know why I jumped; of course they do."

I have to get her attention.

"How is your novel coming?  Is Elsise any closer to finding Jonathan?"

"Oh you remembered!"

That was all it took, she began talking in earnest about her book. 
Her voice is so soft but the way it plays in my ears is like a symphony.
While she goes on her eyes are on me.
I love girls with manners, look at the person you are speaking too!
I jump in here and there, glancing at her just enough to show I am listening.
Slowly, I let my hand wander to her leg
Fear filled her eyes
I could almost hear her blood racing

She pushed it away, "I can walk from here."
Then she looked out the window and realized I had driven out of town.
Her eyes began to water and her body trembled.

"What is wrong with you?  You know how I feel.
You feel it too.  We must be together!"

She fights and tries to open the door
Child locks keep her inside
She tries to move but the seatbelts have locked in place
Her arms are all she can control
And she is trying to reach me
She rakes her nails down my arm
Why is she fighting me?
I shake my head,
So disappointed, but I am prepared.
I pour the chloroform onto a rag
Forcing it over her mouth I whisper

"I did not want you this way
But I will take you anyway I can."
I pull into my driveway
Living in the middle of nowhere has its perks
No nosy neighbors to see anything
I carry my bride over the threshold
This time I am prepared
I have the shackles already installed
She will learn



Website:
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Portfilio Links
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Friday, July 12, 2019

Hometown

Memories of Home

When you hear some one say they were from New York, this is probably the first picture that pops in your head. Then someone mentions Niagara Falls, and you remember that it is also in New York.  

Actually there are hundreds of miles of gorgeous countrysides between these two iconic places.  I was lucky enough to be raised in this "in-between" section.  My hometown was closer to Buffalo and the Falls.  I have never been to New York City. 

Growing up in the country, lots of things effect how you turn out.  For me, it is my connection with water.  My first memories are of living on Lake Road and going down into the gully that bordered our yard.  The sides were steep but the reward of a slow moving creek was worth the slow descent.  My sisters and I spent many a summer's day down there wading and catching minnows and crawdads.  It was cool and refreshing.  I can almost hear the water as it hit the rocks.

Going to Conesus Lake was always a fun time.  We would go to Long Point Park for picnics.  The cool water gently rushed to the pebbly shores.  Funny that mentioning it has me back there listening to the waves.  I remember  swimming lessons there each summer before the High School put in the pool. The park had an amusement part which opened in the evenings.  An arcade, carnival rides and even a skating rink offered a child a virtual smorgasbord of fun.

Conesus outlet flowed near my home on its way to meet the Genesee River.  I loved walking to Ashentee and looking over the bridge to watch the waterfalls.  It was magical.  If the water was running fast, the spray would blow up and reach you.  Ashentee itself was private property, but before I knew that I would walk down and watch the falls from the front side. There was a water wheel on one of the buildings, but as far as I can recall, it was no longer working when I was young.
Amanda Castilla

Michael Coyle-Gilbert

Shaernar Cherew-Gordon

Amanda Castilla
 Paper Mill Falls, which is also along the outlet, is now a park. I never saw it in person.  At the time I lived there, it was well-known to be be private property.  Some friends  were kind enough to get me current pictures of the area.  What a beautiful place, sad that I didn't have the
Michael Coyle-Gilbert
Peggy Fly
Peggy Fly
opportunity to experience it first hand.   Unfortunately, no one was unable to get a picture of Ashentee, I will have to settle for the ones I have in my mind.

If you follow the outlet from Ashentee, you find it flows under the road to Geneseo and the 5Arch bridge.  The way it flows in my memories is how it appears in this, my high school senior picture.  It is just a gentle babbling brook.  I
used to go there and wade out to the larger rock shelves and sit listening to the creeks tales.  Many a day I spent enchanted by the water's song.  I found peace there, the water seemed to take my worries and carry them away.  Peggy, my dear friend from high school, sent this more recent picture for me.  I

Peggy Fly





don't remember ever seeing the water flowing that hard.  Perhaps I just don't want to remember it that way.

Pictures take me back to a more peaceful time.  I am still amazed that even pictures have a way of washing away my troubles.

CASCADES

Babbling brooks
Sing songs of old
Returning peace
To young and old
Cascades release
A gentle spray
Washing all
Life's woes away
Leaving those
Who venture near
So peaceful
Smiles reappear


Website:
http://carternovels.com/author-cindy-j-smith.html
Twitter:  https://twitter.com/cindysvoices
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GOODREADS:
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Pinterest:
https://www.pinterest.com/cindyjsmith1/

Portfilio Links
https://view.joomag.com/golden-box-book-publishing-cindys-voices/0568888001561494976