What has gone before: Goodwood Duxford tales... “While you’ve been here with Grace, the ladies and I have been over at The Magpie,” said Lilith, a newly-deceased resident of Gramberly Cemetery and best friend of Goodwood “Goody” Duxford, cemetery caretaker. “Patsy has quite the library of paranormal reference books.” Goody, Lilith, Frankie (Goody’s girlfriend), Grace (another … Continue reading The end is near
Tag: word choice
Medicine Show
You could read the sign on the side of Dr. Randall’s medicine wagon from a half-mile away. He’d roll into town every couple of months to put on a show. It was a cross between a tent revival meeting and a wandering minstrel faire. Granny used to say all Randall sold was snake oil and … Continue reading Medicine Show
Open call
The sign hanging outside the seamstress’ shop creaked as it slowly swayed above the store entrance. Flakes of sun-bleached paint fell with each swing peppering the sidewalk dull green and yellow. If passers-by peered through the storefront’s milky, open-backed windows, they would see stripped dress forms lined up like a phalanx of linen and papier-mâché … Continue reading Open call
Gone by sunset
The last item to go onto the pile was the mop she used to clean the kitchen floor. With more vehemence than necessary, she shoved the tines of the For Sale sign in the ground beside the debris. “Still not going to tell him before you leave?“ Aileen had refused to help her sister, Maureen, … Continue reading Gone by sunset
Meeting the neighbors
The invitation was penned in elegant calligraphy on fine, handmade cotton rag paper, and sealed with a dark crimson, wax stamp embossed with an intricate Cappas family crest. It was hand-delivered on a sunny, Monday morning, by the family retainer. “Who was that?” Belinda Danner called out to her daughter. Gillian turned the envelope over … Continue reading Meeting the neighbors
Social call
Her skin felt oppressive; she wanted to strip it off and run around the room naked - nothing but muscle and bone - probably screaming too. There would definitely be screaming, and proverbial gnashing of teeth and beating of the breast. Of course, that would get messy without skin to contain the gore, then she’d … Continue reading Social call





