When
it’s our birthday, when the ice breaks and the spirits burst through,
you have to dodge out of the way and cover your head so they don’t hiss
sharp into your ears or quick-grab your tongue. If they get your tongue,
you end up babbling like a prattaloon for days and people laugh and
throw things at you to shut you up. Dilip got a broken nose that way
last year, when a shelly-pot hit him. If they get in your ears, you’re
stuck listening to the flap-mouthing the babblers made all the years
before, and that’s worse because you can’t shut them up and the spirits
can be a bit choosy about how long they leave you with the racket. But
you have to keep your eyes wide open because they want you to watch them
while they dance and dive and scorch the air and cut sizzling streaks
into the ice. You can blink, just so long as you don’t linger. Blinking
is okay.
Friday 19 April 2013
'All the Birthdays' by Suzanne Conboy-Hill
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Well, there you go! Another wondrous story from the fantasy world of Suzanne Conboy-Hill. Melt into her stories with your mind flung wide; allow her words to seep in and let your imagination flow by her side.
ReplyDeleteThat was enjoyable barminess.
ReplyDeleteLove this. The almost-nonsense language makes it seem benign, but the ending is really quite creepy.
ReplyDeleteLove the language. Bizarre and enjoyable :)
ReplyDeleteA gorgeous glimpse of a unique world.
ReplyDelete