Sometimes, Bob thought that he might be able to feel at home if it wasn’t for the insects. They crawled over every surface, hid in every corner. In the middle of the night he could hear them scurrying through the walls, across the floor, across the ceiling. Tiny legs in the dark.
He’d tried pesticides. Tried poisons. Tried exterminators. The insects would be quiet for a day or two. Moments of silence, precious as diamonds, shining, pure.
And then he’d hear the first movement, deep in the dead of midnight. He’d tell himself it was a dream. They were gone.
The next day they’d be back, crawling over every surface. He stomped and punched and swatted, but never hit anything. Like clutching at mist.
His sister came over for tea and said nothing, even when a bug landed on her shoulder, feelers tickling her neck.
“What do I do?” he asked.
“About what?”
“About the insects.” He pointed, finger shaking.
She looked at him and shook her head. “There are no insects, Bob.”
No insects. No noises. No crawling in the night. All in his head.
He looked down at his cup and saw an insect staring back.
He laughed.
Word Count: 200
This is for Sunday Photo Fiction.
An extension of a ghost story! Superb writing!
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Thank you!
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Now I will have nightmares lol. Superbly terrifying
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Thank you!
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Uh oh.
Actually there are parts of the world where life seems irrepressible. My Dad was in Southeast Asia once during the 1960s (said he couldn’t tell me why) and said the geckos would climb all over the walls and ceiling of his room at night. One even fell off of the ceiling into bed with him.
Pretty freaky.
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That does sound freaky. Thanks for commenting!
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This seemed such apowerful image of life of the edge of madness
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Thank you.
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All in his head or maybe ghost insects?? Well done.
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Could be either. Thanks you!
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That is fantastic. I love the horror he is facing – second time today I have said something that sounds like I am totally evil lol. I’m not though. Well, not totally! Mwahahaha.
It’s a great story.
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Thank you! We’re all a little evil, aren’t we? 😉
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