We bought the house and land for a song. Neglected. Abandoned. The owners grateful that someone wanted to take it off their hands.
“The house is in the middle of nowhere. Don’t know what granddad was thinking when he bought it and went to die there.”
I don’t know about their granddad, but I knew why we wanted to move there. We needed to move away from the crowds, the whispering behind our backs, the looks (sometimes of pity, sometimes of judgement) that we received each time we left our home. The last two years had seemed interminable. The same questions asked over and over again. The events leading up to the murder prodded at from every angle. The media hounds baying at every door and window.
When the trial was over, my family and I sat in a room and decided on the type of life we wanted. The children were in agreement with us that we needed to move away from the city. Abby wanted horses. Mikey wanted a place where he could paint to his heart’s content. And Cyrus? He wanted peace and quiet “from the maddening crowd”. My wife looked at me and uttered what was deep in my heart.
“We should take our money and move out into the country, maybe even to another state. Lets find the place we always dreamed of. That place where there are no offices and telephones keeping us tethered to the Company. There is no longer any need to please my father and the board of Directors. Let us please ourselves and go live off the land.”
I love her so much. This woman who chose me, who believed in me when no one else did, who stood by me and gave me strength.
And now 6 months later we stand before the house of our dreams. I see the amount of work before us and I smile. Fixing her up and bringing her to her former glory will help me forget the events that brought me here. I look at my children. Abby is running and shouting as only a 5 year old can after being cooped up in the car for so long. Mikey is admiring the view before him and is already snapping pictures of the house and its views with his camera. Cyrus has a look of contentment on his face.
“We will bring her to her former glory Dad. I can’t wait to get started.”
He walks off to investigate. Lindy stands next to me and puts her arm around my waist.
“We will be happy here. You will see.”
I kiss her. Then taking her hand, we walk together towards our new home and the future that it promises.
© Colline Kook-Chun, 2014
(This post was inspired by the Free Write Friday image prompt by Kellie Elmore)
Colline's Blog 
Excellent lead into a story Colline – but WHEN are you going to write and publish this (and all the other great stories whose intros you’ve teased us with) 🙂
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I think I need to go and dust down my writing folder Chris. Your words are encouragement 🙂
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Glad to hear it Colline (BTW – when are you going to send me your Guest Blogger article? LOL)
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I can work on one for you if you wish Chris. Email me what you would like me to do 🙂
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That’s a very nice take on the prompt!! Like your style =]
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Thank you so much.
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Ah memories! What we would do recover or relive some of our memories back! That house in the picture looks hopeless though. Ahihihihi 😀
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I always like to think that, if given enough attention and care, neglected homes can be brought back to their former glory.
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Wow, Colline! Another great beginning. Okay, so when will you continue one of these great fiction openers? I want to know more about the grandfather that went to die in the house and more about the family that has the stain of murder on their lives running away from the media hounds. Love the reference to ‘baying’ media hounds! The media…like a dog on a bone with these stories they been asked to chase down.
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I always feel bad for the people the media hunt down. It is certainly not pleasant being famous – or infamous.
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Thinking of Rob Ford here as you mention that. He certainly seems to have drawn some unwelcome media attention to his life. Reminds one to be very careful of what one does in public and how one portrays themselves, doesn’t it? While I admire his tenacity, I can’t imagine how stressful it would be to be chased down continuously for any reason by the media.
I imagine the way to stop this is to stop feeding the media machine. Poker faced and tight-lipped might help. Perhaps at this time, he is unable or unwilling to accomplish this.
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The person I feel for in this media debacle is not Rob Ford (being a politician, he asked to be in the limelight). I feel instead for his wife who has had to hide herself away from the media and stop going about her daily routine.
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I love the fresh start perspective. I think it’s great how an image that seems dilapidated and rickety to most can be viewed for what it can be as opposed to what it was. I enjoyed this Colline 🙂
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Sometimes when you look at a house or a building in a positive way, you can see its potential.
I am glad you enjoyed the post Talicha. Thank you for your positive feedback.
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Nice! I love happy endings 🙂
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I do too. It always leaves one with a sense of hope.
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New home, new life, and new future! Great story, Colline!
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Thank you Amy.
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A lovely story, Colline. I do hope everything works out for the family. 🙂
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I would like to think it would as the family have gone through some hard times together.
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You brought the characters very much to life. I really hope it’s a happy ending for the family. Sounds like they deserve as much.
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I always like to think that things will end positively to families that stick together and support one another.
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I do too!
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It is fascinating to me how we can look at something as if all hope is lost or if new lives can be found. I prefer the latter! I always like your posts but I especially enjoy your short fiction pieces!
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Thank you 🙂
Looking at the positive side, one can always find a reason to hope and to begin afresh.
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Nice story, Colline 🙂 I would like to join them, but I want a donkey instead of a horse 🙂
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I would be wary of riding horses too Paula 🙂
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😀
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I enjoyed the story very much!
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Thank you Leya.
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Genuine escape to a new life from well grounded reasoning, to bring both a family, and a home back to life. Isolation is only what we make of it in both reality, and imagination. You’ve got a story with room to move, Colline, top work in setting the narrative up. Currently I’m on a bit of a thing on writing narratives in third person perspective to open up the different characters for a reader to explore from their own point of view outside of the eyes of just a single character. What are your thoughts?
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This is the first time I have tried writing in the third person Sean. In looking at the narratives of the writers I enjoy reading, I have noticed that most of them write in the third person. And it is even more interesting when the story is written from the point of view of Jorge than one character. The most recent novel I read in which the viewpoint of many was given to drive the story, was The Casual Vacancy by J.K.Rowlings.
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A reader certainly comes out of the story with more diverse choice in being immersed while reading, rather than just following. I like the choices you’ve made, drawing on diversity to entertain.
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Thank you Sean.
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More please!
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I think I need to work on giving you what you want 🙂
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A lovely story!
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Thank you for the compliment.
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I love how you wrote this, Colline. Lovely.
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Thank you Michelle.
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We’ll done, there is much truth I your story!
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Thank you Carol. I am pleased you enjoyed reading the story.
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Great story, Colline! Loved the lead in and such a great ending 🙂
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Thank you Cat 🙂
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Just love the feel of it. Nice work, Colline. 🙂
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Thank you Gemma 🙂
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A whole new world opens up with your words Colline.
That picture is an old mans dream, memories character and personality.
I would be contented with the home as it is, if I was alone.
A recluse, a hermits haven.
But with your words it has to be changed.
Thanks for the dreaming.
Ian
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The home would definitely have to be changed, and renovated, fort he family that is to move in. I am sure that fixing the home in solitude would bring contentment to a recluse. 🙂
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