By Joel Bryant
I know what hides in the sea. I’ve seen them through the hag stone’s hole.
I’ve glimpsed a sea witch, waiting for a swimmer to flounder. I’ve spotted the hungry serpent, lurking under the waves.
My sisters dash towards the sea. I urgently peer through the stone. Everything’s safe, but I cling to my mother.
“Ice cream?” she asks, concerned by my anxiety.
I inspect the ice cream seller trudging past. He is disguised, a human overlay, concealing claws and cruelty.
“Maybe later.”
My sisters shriek and cavort. I envy their innocence and pray my overburdened sanity won’t break, not again.
I love this story. Something in it resonated for me. I found that the magical world the narrator witnesses conveys very well the feeling of knowing terrors their carefree siblings do not.
Thank you Giulietta, glad you enjoyed the story.
I love the “overburdened sanity” line.
Cheers Greg, you are too kind.
I get the OCD. Good story
Thanks Pamela, that could be one interpretation 🙂
I agree. Could be many interpretations. To me it’s a mark of depth. Welll done.
Thank you Ed, very kind of you.
ahh good story – unreliable narrator or not? reader to choose. Love it.
Thanks N.E., I agree. The reader’s interpretation is often vastly different to the author’s original intention, but sometimes much more interesting.
Thanks N.E., I agree. The reader’s interpretation is often vastly different to the author’s original intention, but sometimes much more interesting.