Message from Mom - by Julie Harris

https://Voice.club - Monday’s word was “Scary”. Harold trembled a little when he correctly guessed it, but he bravely smiled and fixed his own breakfast for the first time in his life.

Tuesday the word was “Panic”. Well, yes. He was having to learn how to make a bed, pick out his clothes for the day, cook his own lunch and dinner. But at least she was still close by, even if he couldn’t see her. .

Wednesday’s word was “Peril”. “What’s going on, Mom?” He cried aloud.

Harold’s mother had died suddenly, unexpectedly, two weeks earlier. He was devastated, could barely function. How could he manage without Mom? She was his lighthouse, his North Star. Her family’s fortune meant he had never needed to work a day of his forty-two years. Instead, he stayed home with his dear mother, partaking of her infinite wisdom. Without her voice to guide him, how would he move through his life?

Harold considered bringing in a medium, but he didn’t want to share his mother or his home with anyone else. He needed a way to contact her on his own. That’s when he decided to start playing Wordle. Surely his mother was stiĺl watching over him and could send him messages through well-planned five-letter words.

The “Peril” message had sent Harold to bed, where he carefully phrased his question for the next day.

“Why am I in peril, Mom?”

“Alone,” was the five-letter answer. Harold decided to test the Wordle-Ouija messenger service. He refreshed the screen and asked, “I’m in peril because I’m alone? But I’m not alone. You’re here now, as you always have been.”

“Going.” Never had a single word engendered such terror.

“You can’t leave me, Mom! You can’t, you can’t.”

“Adieu…” The Wordle game started playing itself, displaying the same word over and over.

“Adieu…”
“Adieu…”
“Adieu…”

Each repetition became a lighter shade of black, then grey, then off-white, then finally disappeared.

Harold screamed.

Just then, the doorbell rang.

1 Like

It breaks my heart. It is hard to say goodbye to the person we treasure the most, especially our parents and children. Thanks for the new word “adieu.”

A very unique but disturbing way to say goodbye. Yet, your story does not end and I am left wondering who is at the door. Hopefully, you will write a part two, Julie.

I loved the increasing suspense. Not a horror story but one steeped in the sadness of a goodbye. Well done as always!

@Lotchie @MargaridaBrei @GreeneWills

Thanks to all of you for your comments. I’m surprised that everyone picked up on the sadness of saying goodbye, when what I intended was more of a “kicking the baby bird out of the nest” theme. Did all of you notice that Harold was 42 years old and had never done anything at all for himself or anyone else? I imagined that the mom had finally decided he needed to grow up and fend for himself, so she departed. When he kept trying to hold on to her, she was firm. Maybe now she will finally have a life (after life) of her own! The story was supposed to be humorous, not sad! But it’s interesting that all of you interpreted it differently. Stories are awesome in that way, aren’t they?

As for the who is ringing the doorbell – ha! That may be another story. Or not. All I know is that mom is behind it.