Welcome to my offering for The A to Z Blogging Challenge 2018.
My theme this year is Ghostly Inspirations:
a collection of spirits that have been prompted by my encounters with places and times. Some are spooky, some more about atmosphere. I'll be describing each inspiration and the phantom that came to my mind, and then I will share a drabble, which I hope will entertain. :)
Disclaimer: The places and experienced I have used for my inspiration are real, but my ghosts and drabbles are complete fiction, linked to nothing and no-one, alive or dead. When writing about my inspirations, I may have changed names and obfuscated specific details to 'protect the innocent' :).
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K is for Keening
Inspiration:
In the UK, we have some absolutely beautiful reservoirs. These man-made lakes are lovely places to visit, with wonderful countryside around them and deep, dark water. In some cases, however, the beauty hides a dark past, because, some of our reservoirs drowned villages. Whole communities were moved out of their home valleys to make way for the water to feed the big towns and cities nearby. In one case, a village church tower was visible out the top of the water when the reservoir was first filled until a bomb dropped from a plane removed the evidence.
No person was killed during these drownings, but they left behind the ghost of their community, their houses and farms and pubs and churches.
Ghost:
In the UK, we have some absolutely beautiful reservoirs. These man-made lakes are lovely places to visit, with wonderful countryside around them and deep, dark water. In some cases, however, the beauty hides a dark past, because, some of our reservoirs drowned villages. Whole communities were moved out of their home valleys to make way for the water to feed the big towns and cities nearby. In one case, a village church tower was visible out the top of the water when the reservoir was first filled until a bomb dropped from a plane removed the evidence.
No person was killed during these drownings, but they left behind the ghost of their community, their houses and farms and pubs and churches.
My ghost today is the loss of a community personified.
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Grief
Cold, wet and not even a view to show for it, as low cloud on the hill left Adam’s vision at less than 5 foot. He gasped in breath and glared at the pale haze where LLangard Water should have been below him.
The mist brought a silence that forced Adam still. It sat on the enthusiasm with which he had started the walk. He felt it before he heard the faraway keen. Lonely, devastated, it dug straight at his heart, draining all joy. Adam sat down hard, loss hitting him in waves. This was no place for the living.
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The mist brought a silence that forced Adam still. It sat on the enthusiasm with which he had started the walk. He felt it before he heard the faraway keen. Lonely, devastated, it dug straight at his heart, draining all joy. Adam sat down hard, loss hitting him in waves. This was no place for the living.
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Other paranormal and spooky stories by Sophie Duncan.
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Hi Sophie - I hate to say it .. but I had to look this up - and how ghastly a sound it must be - especially to wail it across the waters ... excellent K - cheers Hilary
ReplyDeleteThanks :)
DeleteA keen is an Irish lament for the dead, almost like a wail. This might have inspired it. Just a thought.
ReplyDeleteWonderfully written. "This was no place for the living."Love it.:)
ReplyDeleteThank you :)
DeleteOoh, this one is dark - I like it.
ReplyDeleteTasha
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