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24.9.20

THE NICHE - a story in 100 words

 

THE  NICHE

 The cottage was so cheap Auguste said there must be hidden faults, and he was proved right on our first night there.

Roof-joists groaned as if about to give way, but inspection proved them sound; pipes whistled and banged for no apparent reason.

The just-beneath-hearing whispers in the kitchen were the worst, and I tracked them down to a niche that resembled a walled-up window.

“Break it open,” I begged, “Something’s trapped in there.”

“And you want me to let it out? No way.”

So I hung garlic in front of it – a lot of garlic – and prayed.

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Of course it's only a niche built to hold an oil lamp, maybe - or is it? Thanks to Dale for this week's image, and to Rochelle for hosting Friday Fictioneers. 

How has your week been? I've been procrastinating, putting off the onerous task of learning how to publicise my books. It has to be done if I am to have any hope of people reading them, but I do wish there was an easier way :(  

If you haven't caught up with them yet, they are all available on Amazon - the link to my latest book is at the top of this page. Rock Festival is the final book in a series, which pulls together threads from the first three books - A Volcanic Race, Wolf Pack & Landslide. Buy the whole set to immerse yourself in another world - a world where the dangers are prehistoric and volcanic, not Covid-related!


25 comments:

  1. Oh, Liz! That's got me on the edge of my seat...

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  2. Old houses do get the imagination going, don't they?

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  3. I hope the garlic will be enough. I would be talking to a realter the very next day!

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    Replies
    1. Personally I think she's a wimp not to open it herself!

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  4. Smart guy! He catches on fast :) Love the details in this story that make it so enjoyable.

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  5. Dear Liz,

    That's more than just a fixer-upper home. Garlic. Methinks there might be a vampire in the cellar? Yes?

    Shalom,

    Rochelle

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    1. More than likely. Does garlic actually work?

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  6. Old houses do seem to speak to us, don't they? Not always saying what we want to hear, mind...
    Who know what is up there. And if garlic assures the homeowners, well...

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    1. I lived in several old houses growing up and they hold no terrors for me - I used to make up stories about them in my head!

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    2. Having lived in a haunted 17th century pub this seems very familiar! Fortunately we always had loads of garlic in the kitchen.

      Here's mine!


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    3. What was the atmosphere like after closing time?

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  7. Replies
    1. If you want a problem solved, do it yourself!

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  8. That was very eerie, Lizy! Great take on the photo prompt.

    Susan A Eames at
    Travel, Fiction and Photos

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  9. Those little niches can hold no end of scary or enticing possibilities :)

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    Replies
    1. Let's hope the niches in our lives are intriguing!

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