She quietly closed the door behind her,
leaving her parents,
married almost 20 years now,
screaming arguments back and forth across the kitchen;
her younger sister crying in her room
while mainstream pop music
blared through the walls;
her younger brother missing,
probably hiding out at his girlfriend’s.
The snow had just begun to fall,
even though it was almost 45 degrees,
she could feel the temperature dropping
and shivered under her thin fleece coat.
There was nowhere she could escape
or turn to for inspiration
except for the stars and the empty fields
cocooning her ranch style home.
While the snow piled up
and the world became quiet
she felt safe and warm and thought about
when her parents used to
tuck her into bed every night,
how good it felt to be wrapped so tight
in familiar fabric and her own body heat.
She couldn’t even remember the last time
she hugged her mother.
As a little girl,
all she had ever heard her mother say
was how much she had wanted a white picket fence,
one she could plant hostas around,
with complimentary white lace framing on the house.
A coyote barked somewhere across the street,
causing her to glance out over the front yard.
Everything had been spray painted a shimmering white.
She paused at the edge of the softly frozen lawn and
for the first time, she noticed
the plain wooden fence her father had built
all those years ago.
She poked her nose back inside the door.
“Mom?”
“What?”
She answered angrily.
“Come look at this.”
Her mother stomped out of the house and stopped
next to her on the front porch.
She pointed to the illuminated barrier.
“Look.”
Her mother squinted into the moonlit yard and
a smile twitched at the corners of her mouth.
“It’s your white picket fence, mom.”
She faced her daughter with tears in her eyes,
a grin from ear to ear,
and she hugged her
whispering
“Thank you, it’s all I ever wanted.”
“Me too.”
Lisa Jewell
Such emotion and beauty, you have me in tears…...
Natalie Foss
beautiful… this is so touching, and the imagery is perfect.
jcmontgomery
I agree with Natalie…pulled on the ol’ heart strings this did.
PJ Ryan
oh baby .. this is beautiful xx
flower68
yep,ur yanking my heartstrings too x
C.C. Arshagra
Lys, this is perfect in every imperfect way. Life!
Zolton
This is really sweet. Lovely.
Rachael Hope
I’m crying for this one dear; crying my stupid eyes out. Gosh you always get me you know, I feel like I’ve been stripped naked and displayed every time I read your writing. You get me in forgotten and secret places. It’s so liberating. Thank you xxxx
Naylor
((((((((((((HUG))))))))))))))
You write with such honest emotions that your words are double impact to your readers !!!! I love your work !!!
aglaia b
the weather…it dictates our emotions in many ways than one sometimes, or all the time…all the scenes are set so beautifully, lovely writing!
Yasemin Sumner
This voice is as natural and honest as the elements. This winter’s tale wraps around me so surely like a warm blanket that I’m sure there’s room for the narrator too. Come on in where it’s warm.
Outdoors2
pass me the damn tissues
How quickly the joys are forgotten
Mary Campbell
I read this and think this girl could write a really good novel. You have talent you know.
Alvaro Sánchez
THIS IS A LOVELY ONE EVEN, IN MY COUNTRY THERE IS NO SCENERY LIKE THE IN YOU DESCRIBE, BUT IS VERY EASLY TO PICTURE LIKE SHORTFILM..lovely lys
oscarelizondo
A story book that let’s us understand about problems and sometimes in the worst of times, wishes come true. It’s a reminder that in the end, maybe there is such thing as a rainbow. Great work, strong inner feeling evovle from a strong poetic theme. Keep rocking!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Alix Purcell
I love this Lys! I think these are happy tears… it’s amazing the confort we find in the simplest things at the worst of times. You depict this well. Great write. -A
Roger Sampson
My goodness – them happy thoughts evoked to give a wish of happiness back. I did not know where this writing was taking me when I started reading it…it ended in such a beautiful place -
thank-you for taking me there.
Rog
vertigodog78
Such simple power in this one, really beautiful.
kutkolors
Your piece borrows from real life, it sounds like. it’s too bad you can’t tie things up so neatly in real life though. I feel a chill from the cold in the story which means you took me there. I feel so much emotion coming from you but you don’t give it all. Not sure if that is a positive or a negative. Evocative, nonetheless. Look forward to reading some more of your stuff.
Franka Zaumseil
just a little moment but wonderful illustrated!
Metamorphosis
this brought tears to my eyes Lys.. coming from a bleak situation into another where it is not perfect but there is hope and love with the mum and her daughter… you are brilliant Lys….