Art Talk Tuesday



 
ICAD card #8
Lightning bugs!
My yard is full of them!!!
 
It's Art Talk Tuesday but I don't have much to say today.
June was a crazy month family wise and then the 4th of July holiday hit.
Making the ICAD cards have been my only art outlet lately.
( busy trying to get home life in order)
 
I am working on the WOW Summer Flash Fiction contest.
 
If you have a few minutes to spare why not read my WOW Spring Flash Fiction entry.
 
Happy Reading!
 
 
Henry Billings’ “Aw, Hell” Moment
 
The story is true. How do I know?
Because my mother told me so.
 
Nona Boland lived here in St. Albans back when my mother was first married. She had knowledge of the occult and spirit world. Lost souls consulted Nona Boland with the hope that she could provide answers to their most difficult problems.
 
People who visited Nona Boland were sometimes just curious, but mostly they were desperate. There were also the ones who no matter how hard you prayed for them, they just couldn’t help but do something stupid.
 
Stories told in hushed voices about visits with Nona Boland that had unpleasant outcomes are plentiful. One of the most repeated stories is of Henry Billings. Henry owned a small rundown restaurant at the north end of town. The low slung building began life as a juke joint. His family bought the place and his grandma Waudene’s cooking brought in the people. After Waudene’s death the people stopped coming.
 
Although Henry had worked side by side with his grandma and knew her recipes by rote, the family knew darn well that she added secret ingredients to each dish. Family lore told that grandma kept her recipe box hidden. That box contained secrets and Henry’s salvation. He needed that box.
 
Henry searched the restaurant and Waudene’s house. He interrogated relatives, and his grandma’s friends. A few claimed to have seen the box over the years but none knew of its whereabouts. In defeat, Henry paid Nona Boland a visit. The only thing to be done was to raise Waudene’s spirit from the world of the dead and ask her one very important question.
 
On a dark spring night with no moon looking down from above Henry followed Nona Boland into the woods. He could hardly see the path. Nona Boland stopped, Henry stumbled but recovered quickly.
 
 
 
They stood on the edge of a small pitch black clearing. There were no stars in the night sky. Henry hoped God was not looking down. Nona Boland moved forward. Henry stayed where he was, this was her territory. Henry spat out a loud whisper, “Now Nona Boland, you are sure the Devil won’t show up tonight?” She shook her head and slowly said, “He got better things to do than bother us.”
 
Light from a match glowed; Henry watched as she lit the pile of wood at her feet. As the fire grew Nona Boland came into view. To Henry, she looked like a middle-aged woman dressed to do yard work. He often wondered why she didn’t look like the witches or voodoo women he saw on television.
 
With her face still in the shadows she asked, “Did you bring it?” Henry tossed a brown bag to the ground and harshly replied, “Do you want to count it?” Without answering Nona Boland turned her attention back to the fire.
 
“I’m wearing my gold cross necklace and grandma’s St. Thomas medal. Will they keep me safe?” asked Henry. She did not answer. Nona Boland swayed side to side and the flames danced. Henry removed a rosary from his pants pocket.
 
In the center of the fire a blue twist began to form. As Henry watched he pulled a rabbit’s foot from his jacket. Then he reached back and rubbed his wallet for luck. Inside there was a four leaf clover and his lucky penny. All of his pockets were full of trinkets meant for luck or protection. He even had Miss Kelly’s dashboard Jesus, but that was mainly because he liked the look of it. Henry had no quarrel with Jesus, but he preferred to deal directly with the Holy Father.
 
The fiery blue twist grew larger and Nona Boland was calling out grandma’s name. Henry reminded himself to breathe. Through the flames Nona Boland looked at Henry. He had a surprised look on his face. Henry’s heart went still, and then he began to fall. The last thing Henry heard was Nona Boland bellowing, “Aw, Hell.”
 
 
 
Many in the right standing with God crowd had strong opinions about Henry’s death. Most thought he had it coming for committing such an abomination against God. Granddaddy filed Henry under, “No matter how hard you pray for some people…”
 
The story is true. How do I know?
 
Because my mother told me so.
 
 

Comments

  1. And here I thought that lightning bugs carried around little lanterns. . .

    And it is true that no matter how hard you pray for some peiple. . . . But of course some just don't pray enough.

    ReplyDelete
  2. And you're a writer too!! Loved the story, and have only seen the lightning bugs but a few times. I will hold a vision of you fulfilling all your creative dreams and whims this month. Good luck with all contests you have entered for the summer!

    ReplyDelete

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