Do places as well as people give off emotional energy? I believe so. What happens when a cemetery is old and half-forgotten?
Tuesday Tales is a weekly blog featuring diverse authors who post excerpts from their works in progress based on word and picture prompts. We’re a book hungry troop that enjoys reading as much as you do. Today our picture prompt depicts sunrays. The excerpt is from the WIP Hannah’s Haint, a vintage paranormal romance set in a small town in the 1950s. Please visit the other fabulous authors at Tuesday Tales.
Nate swung the car off the edge of the dirt track and onto the brown, heat-crusted grass. The graveyard was clean enough and seemed to be in order. There was no sign of upturned headstones or other overt vandalism. Still, a hot breath of sadness prevailed. Not just because of the nature of the place as a home for the dead. No, it was a few things. A frown clenched his brow. The dried vegetation. The bare azalea bushes with stout, old growth limbs. A sort of gray monotone buzzed just below the surface. He cast his gaze around the dozens, perhaps hundreds, of graves. A lack of color struck him. A few flower arrangements adorned the dearly beloved, but they were faded and washed out. Was this an abandoned cemetery, or full up and no longer used? Spur hadn’t mentioned it, but maybe he wouldn’t.
Sucking in a deep, unsettled breath, he searched for her name, Iris du Pres. Spur had said to look in the older section. Dates in the area he searched were within the last twenty years, but none recent it seemed. Still, there must be graves from earlier in the century. A bare tree across the way caught his attention. He straightened up. The stones near it looked different, older. He made his way toward the spot, shading his eyes with one hand. Yes, he was right. These folks had long passed. The headstones were more unusual and ornate. Several were shaped like tree trunks, and here was a weeping angel. Her exquisite beauty struck at his heart. He peered down at the name engraved in the scroll topped stone. Iris du Pres. Sunrays gleamed on the smooth granite surface. Bright and piercing, like a mirror. He knelt down. With trembling fingers, he touched her final resting place.
I hope you enjoyed the snippet based on the picture prompt depicting sunrays. Thanks for stopping by. Please visit the other fabulous authors at Tuesday Tales.
Cheers & Happy Reading!
Flossie Benton Rogers, Conjuring the Magic in Romance
I love your descriptions
Thank you, Cathy. I appreciate your stopping by.
Wonderful as always!
Thank you, Vicki.
Very evocative! Great description put me right in the time and place, Flossie. Love youre writing.
Thank you, Jean. So kind of you!
Wonderful except. I felt like I was there. Great job.
Thanks, Susanne. I’m glad.
Beautiful as well as sad!
I will quote here from a story I read last year: “”When you die, you don’t have to move on, as long as someone still remembers you. You can go any old time you like, but it’s a one-way trip. And you have to go when nobody remembers.”
Amazing! What book was that, Carmen?
Oh, it was a collection of short stories Macabre Sanctuary. I think you have it. It was the one where Mae and Craig have stories included.
Oh yes! No wonder it sounded familiar.
Beautiful, Flossie. What wonderful vivid descriptions.
I’m glad you liked the description, Mae; thanks!
Great snippet, Flossie! This worked perfectly with the photo you chose.
I adore old cemeteries. There’s several I visit regularly around here. When I worked at Hobby Lobby, there was one close to work and I’d go eat my lunch there and commune with whoever was there. I’ve made many ‘friends’ from my visits.
Oh man, Hobby Lobby– one of my favorite stores! I bet you had some memorable communions at that cemetery. Thank you for the good thoughts.
The descriptions were picture perfect of the cemeteries. Nicely done.
I’m glad the description came across okay, thanks, Karen!