The first line for this fictional short story was sent to me by the lovely Kim. She resides in Alabama, and blogs about her lifelong love of books.
https://cadburypom.wordpress.com/
She had never been so terrified in her entire life.
The crashing sound from the living room made Emma jump out of her skin. She leaned even harder against the bedroom door, wondering what Nick was up to, and if he was okay. When she had run screaming from the bathroom, Nick had been great. “Leave it to me, honey. I will deal with it. You stay in here”.
But then the nightmare had really started. The first sounds coming from the bathroom were unmistakable. The shower curtain pinging off, ring by ring. Then a slapping sound, as Nick fought hard. She hoped that would be the end of it, but then the commotion moved into the hallway.
That was the moment Emma had locked the bedroom door, and closed the open window.
With her ear flat to the door, and her heart racing, she had tried hard to work out what she could hear, and place the sounds in context. Nick had a fight on his hands, no mistaking that. But he was strong and brave, so she prayed he would prevail.
Was he rolling along the wooden floor in the hallway? Given the scuffing noise, and Nick’s grunting, it sure sounded like it. When the noises grew fainter, she guessed he was in the living room, and she sat down heavily on the floor, her trembling legs no longer able to support her small frame.
Then that crash came, and she jumped involuntarily. That had to be the reproduction oil lamp on the side table. Nothing else in there could make such a sound. Unless Nick had knocked over the television. After that, it all went quiet.
Emma felt her breath coming in short gasps. The quiet was much worse than the noise.
Maybe she could call out, and ask him if he was okay? But the door would muffle her voice, and she wasn’t about to open it, not even the tiniest crack. Then a roar, sounding like Nick. It had to be him. Oh please let it be him. The thump that followed sounded like the big armchair next to the fireplace. It had tipped over once before when she was vacuuming, and the noise was just like that.
She mouthed a silent prayer. ‘Oh please let it be over soon, I just can’t stand it.’
More silence followed, then there were soft footsteps along the hallway, and a gentle knock on the door. “You can open up, honey. It’s all over”. Unconvinced, she called back to her husband. “Are you sure? Do you promise me, Nicky?”
After counting to ten, she turned the key, and eased the door open just enough to look out. Nick was smiling, standing in the hallway with the light on behind him. He held up his copy of the evening paper, a fat black blob just visible on the folded pages.
“It cost us the old oil lamp, but that’s one spider that will never be in our bathroom again”.
Lol – Just these where my thoughts after reading the first ten lines. 😉 Pete, you are an old Hitchcockian. :-)) xx Michael
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Spiders can be very scary, Michael. 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
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Reblogged this on OPENED HERE >> https:/BOOKS.ESLARN-NET.DE.
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Haha!! Great humor, Pete.
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Thanks, Jennie. Rare for me, but it seemed suitable.
Best wishes, Pete.
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It was!
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I had to reread this because the first time I was racing through, my imagination going to places it should never go, and never in my sixty some years did I guess a spiker. It would have been easier if he just burned down the house! C
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I tried for some humour with the spider, Cheryl. 🙂
Thanks for reading.
Best wishes, Pete.
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The screams from seeing spiders never fails to shock me. Then of course it is my job to “relocate” the little beasts. Our wolf spiders jump. Totally terrifying.
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My wife is terrified of all spiders, even tiny ones. But she is also brave enough to ‘deal’ with them, and doesn’t need me to help. 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
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Brave woman.
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I dunno Pete. The ending kinda bugged me 😉
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Nicely punned, Chris. 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
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Well, I never guessed the commotion was caused by a spider we have jumping ones here…not good if you don’t like spiders…Luckily I don’t mind them 🙂 x
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You can keep those jumping ones, Carol. 🙂
Best wishes, Pete. x
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Funny. I did guess that it would be a spider, or creature of that type. 🙂
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Well guessed, Trish! 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
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“The crashing sound from the living room made Emma jump out of her skin.”
If it was a Jumping Spider, Emma and the arachnid have something in common.
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Ordinary spiders are bad enough. I don’t need to know about ones that can jump! 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
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We’ve got loads of creepy crawlies in the van, as we left the patio door open as it got dark.. Sam’s been hoovering them up!
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I can imagine that happening with a door open. It’s bad enough here with two windows open. 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
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Strange to evict a spider, what about all the other bugs in the bathroom?
Warmest regards, Theo
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In my experience, big spiders in the bathroom can cause similar ‘meltdowns’. 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
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Very Stephen King! I was sure it was a nasty creature that came up in the drain.
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I was hoping nobody would expect a spider in the bathroom! 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
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Ha! You had me going…not that spiders aren’t sinister intruders, but I was expecting much worse.
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I was hoping to fool everyone, Pam. Glad it worked for you. 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
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I love the unexpected ending, Pete. As, while I was reading the story, I was having a blast imagining umpteen terrifying scenarios. I didn’t picture a harmless spider could be the culprit!
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That’s exactly what I was hoping for, Chaya. 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
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Nice twist, Pete. I thought it was going to be some plumbing disaster.
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Glad to see that nobody suspected the ending, Maggie. (So far at least)
Best wishes, Pete.
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Nicely done Pete, you had me laughing 🙂
I knew you were working up to some twist, but I couldn’t imagine what it was, although putting pajamas on a 2 year old crossed my mind 🙂
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It was always about a spider, as Julie hates them. Mind you, she tackles them herself. 🙂
Cheers, Pete.
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great twist ending, a relief!
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Thanks, Beth. I went for a ‘lighter’ theme this time.
Best wishes, Pete.
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The ending, love itt!😄
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Thanks, Hope. I try to get a twist in when I can. 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
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I enjoy the twists at the end.
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Glad to hear that, Lauren. I try to get them in when it suits the story.
Best wishes, Pete.
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😊😊😊
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I love these short stories! Always what some twist or surprise. Your a talented writer.
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Supposed to say always “with” not “what” 😁 Anyway, loved this 😁😁
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Thanks very much, WB. I am pleased to hear that you are enjoying them. 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
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A clever ending Pete. Not what was expected at all.
Hugs
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Thanks, David. I’m happy that worked. 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
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