The Ignited Willow

Written in response to: Write a story where a device goes haywire.... view prompt

14 comments

Fantasy Bedtime Speculative

It was a terribly early morning, but she’d be hard pressed even after the worst of happenings to stop Tanah up from a tea party, or to stop herself up from drinking tea she’d already made.


That was often what it meant to care for oneself. 


Of course, it wasn’t everyday that the thing worrying her was just outside, or for her own safety something she couldn’t share it with.

She’s worried for the willow before, a blight in its branches, pruned, culled and burned was the answer there. She could wait if the man were as such, it wasn’t as if she’d needed to be all that harsh with the willow back then.


Though she wasn’t above it.


But even back then she hadn't been barred from her own yard. She distinctly remembers drinking tea outside during that time when Tanah was an infant.

She was so tiny back then. Tanah was still tiny, but Charnetta could really blame her age for that, or stress or really anything. Maybe she’d been tiny too, though her parents may’ve neglected to mention how small.

She wasn’t the only child in the house, so it was mostly comparisons that were drawn. Age means so much those first twelve years, but the thought was rare if it were mentioned at all.


She took a moment to drink her tea, sparing a thought to her parents. They’d be of little use to her, as distant as they’d been since Tanah’s birth, she didn’t think they’d be prepared to help her. Even since.


Tanah had spilled a little tea attempting to dunk her oat bar in her cup, dribbling the tiniest bit down faded floral porcelain. The age of the second hand piece was never something she worried about, but she remembered when the flowers were just a touch more vibrant, and it left her nostalgic. 


“Do you remember being smaller than this?”, she asked, since she needed a distraction. It would be a while yet before the spiritualist appeared, and she didn’t want-


Tanah, thought for a moment licking the edge of her cup, as fastidious as expected she responded, “A little bit.”


“Well, I remember. You were so tiny, when she handed you to me,” she motioned Tanah’s size from memory, as if she was telling the exact opposite of a big fish story. “I remember thinking you were the smallest thing in the world.”


“That’s silly.”


“It is, but that’s just how mother’s think when they have a new baby. I think Father’s feel like that too if they're close,” she picked up her cup. “you’re getting bigger, but you’re still so small.”


“Am not.”


“Oh, you are. And there’s nothing wrong with that.” she turned her attention over to her oat bar. She had to eat quickly if she wanted to keep her mind about her, she didn’t exactly enjoy the notion of inviting anybody into her house on an empty stomach.


“Ants are still smaller.” Charnetta simply smiled at this as they finished their small breakfast.


Tanah would be playing inside at least until the spiritualist came and fixed their predicament, settling into her room with a coloring board.


Soon there was a knock at the door, and Charnetta checked the peephole to find nothing amiss. Maybe the man from outside had attempted contact and scurried off.

She soon walked off and heard a second set of knocks and recognizing the time, Charnetta opened the door. Finding the spiritualist she’d called, a rather short older woman.


The woman offered her hand. “Hello, I’m Madinia, the acting spiritualist in your district. Are you aware of the man in your yard?”


“I’m surprised that it counts as a man to an apparent expert.” 


“Ah, a domestic.” Madinia said under her breath.


“Not exactly, I’ve never seen that man before today.” she responded, she really didn’t need an expert downplaying her concern. “Do you want some tea?”


“Of course, nice to meet someone who offers.”


“Right, I’ll go set the kettle.” She moved from the door to the sink filling the kettle.


“Is there a child living here?” Madinia asked, seeing toys and such, as well as an assortment of secondhand books at least somewhat appropriate for a child. 


“Yes, were you not informed?” she asked, setting the pot for the second time that day.


“No, I wasn’t. Strange. How old are they?” she asked. 


“Tanah’s five, and two months this week.”


“That’s nice.” Madinia thought over her next question, “So, what made you worried enough to call us?”


“Well, that’s why I thought you’d be told. Tanah’s dream catcher snapped two nights ago.”


“Really? How old was it?”


“Well, I’d gotten it new when I was pregnant with Tanah.” it had been a gift from her aunt.


“Only sixish years?”


“Yes.”


“Have you replaced it?”


“Yes, I even reused the string.”


“So, what's the issue?”


“I-” she didn’t know what she’d seen the night before by her daughter’s side, “I saw a-”


She heard yet another knock. It was definitely the man in her yard, “I’m sorry, I have to ask. How physical are they? Spirits I mean.”


“You’re worried about the man?”


“No- I.” she took a breath, the willow was too new, it didn’t snap and she just couldn’t be sure. Madinia didn’t know what was going on, and Charnetta wasn’t sure of her expertise.


She got up, and opened the door.


“Can I have some tea too?” the man asked.


“no.”


“Why not?”


“I really can’t, you might never leave if I feed you.”


“I’m not a scoundrel. And it’s hardly a proposal. I’d be happy to drink outside if you’d prefer.”


“What and have you living in my yard? I’d really rather not.”


“You think the underbrush ain’t nice enough on its own?”

“I think you can let him in, if you’re talking to him in broad daylight.”


“That isn’t sensible in any other case.”


“I’d like cookies.” the man said unprompted.


“I really don’t think any of this is sensible.” the woman was seriously saying that.


The man’s face lit up at her snide comment, this person seemed like an agent of chaos, “This is a curious place, why would this be insensible? I mean, don’t let strange men in the house of course. But what’s insensible about this if you’re inviting me in?”


“Wa- well.”


She heard a scream from Tanah’s room, and ran over to find the dream catcher on fire.


October 16, 2021 03:50

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14 comments

Lomi Willow
01:11 Oct 23, 2021

Oh my goshh the cliff hanger at the end... Makes me want a second part-

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Kathleen `Woods
03:21 Oct 23, 2021

Thanks for reading! That would be a third part once I'm up for it, though I was trying for something that could stand on its own in either direction, I'd honestly thought I left too many fingerprints for that.

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Tiffy H
02:57 Oct 21, 2021

Nice. ☺️ I liked the ending

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Kathleen `Woods
03:25 Oct 23, 2021

Thanks for reading! I'm glad for that, I've done abrupt endings before but this one was surprisingly easy going. I didn't even make anyone I know do a final pass.

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Keya J.
08:48 Oct 18, 2021

This is a good story, accompanied by light-hearted humour. It is well descriptive with an excellent pace. Appreciable, how you ended it. Also, I liked the title very much. Great read!

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Kathleen `Woods
06:07 Oct 19, 2021

Thanks for reading! The title was on the draft I was trying to match a previous work, Though the end where it is might've been put off til just about the last minute.

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John Del Rio
14:38 Oct 16, 2021

i'm liking it. the world you're building has a mystic/borderline spooky feel to it. i hope that we can learn more about Tanah and the dream catcher, and of course "the man". what does he want or need. i get the feeling that he is "bad", but what if it turns out that he isn't bad at all? i will continue to read your work. on a side note.. i have a link to the entire story "Special Ingredient", that I can send to you if you like. this way you don't have to read each chapter individually.

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Kathleen `Woods
15:31 Oct 16, 2021

Thanks for reading! I've never been offered a long form option before as far as reading on here. I'll bite.

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John Del Rio
16:13 Oct 16, 2021

I will try to put the link on here when I am back at home on my computer. I was hoping that you were going to continue with your story about Tanah and the “Man”

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John Del Rio
16:19 Oct 16, 2021

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/gwqb3oa7fjjguot1mezh9/SPECIALINGREDIENTFINAL.odt?dl=0&rlkey=0qfy2l6sni4sij14k3mguzlu3 See if this works

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Kathleen `Woods
05:29 Oct 19, 2021

I'm going slow by eye, but I'll pop on proper for the karma on your end.

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John Del Rio
15:28 Oct 19, 2021

Sounds great. I will read more if your work...

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John Del Rio
15:28 Oct 19, 2021

Sounds great. I will read more if your work...

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John Del Rio
00:11 Mar 08, 2022

Hello and happy 2022, I completed the whole story of "Special Ingredient ", and even recorded all the chapters. You can listen to it here if you are interested https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLYwxO4Xv4VdHn6NrTBotIsV3WoFBIrz6E

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