I'm taking part in Loren Eaton's Advent Ghosts flash fiction event again this year - a challenge to produce a spooky, midwinter tale in the style of M. R. James, Dickens etc, but in exactly 100 words.
Last year's was called While You Sleep. This year's is called, simply, Frost.
I hope you like it...
Frost
Sally loved the swirling patterns the frost etched onto her bedroom window. You could see faces if you looked closely.
Of course, her grandmother had warned her, said they were the marks of ghosts outside in the dark, hungry for warmth. Her grandmother was always saying stuff like that. And this Christmas morning the house was still quiet. No-one would know.
Quietly, Sally unlatched her window to touch the delicate lines on the glass.
The icy blast hurled her backwards. She saw the faces again, then, dancing in the air. Saw fingers of frost as they reached for her face…
Happy Christmas all!
(Picture: CC 2008 by Arnar Valdimarsson)
Chilling! In all senses of the word. :)
ReplyDeleteWell done, just like last year! I like the innocence and the sense of foreboding from the grandmother's warming. The quiet house suddenly filled with invading evil is really effective.
ReplyDeleteOoooh! scary! Have a great Christmas, Simon :-)
ReplyDeleteYikes. I think I'll try to NOT see faces in the frost from now on.
ReplyDeleteA fun read!
Perfect for Christmas. Wishing you and your family a joyful and peaceful holiday, Simon.
ReplyDeleteThanks all, and I hope you have a happy Christmas.
ReplyDeleteThis story makes me glad that I live in a subtropical climate. Brrrr! Nicely done, Simon.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Loren. I envy you your climate!
ReplyDelete