Hello Puzzled Poet,
This was very interesting. I did not read the subject “Two ghosts in a restless house by the sea,” right away and so I was puzzled by the ending at first. That was a really unique idea you came up with; putting two ghosts together where they don’t know they are both ghosts. You were very mysterious. I love the setting; the silver moon, the quiet night disturbed by the restless sea and the restless house.
I feel like you wrote out a scene of a short story because so many elements were left as a mystery. What happened seems like it happens every night between these two ghosts. Mrs. Porter seems like an interesting character. Not knowing what Mrs. Porter went through makes me think she’s just a crazy old ghost when she talks about the hungry children and the lonely boys. You made the other ghost, the narrator mysterious too.
I was especially captivated by your imagery. I can sense the night clearly and imagine that silver moon against the darkness. Great job!
My one major suggestion:
I feel like you could have built up more suspense to Mrs. Porter’s breaking. Her breaking seemed a little subtle. Perhaps you can do this by adding more contrast to Mrs. Porter before and after her breaking. I know that she was calm, she thought she was just dreaming and she was muttering, but she already sounded off to begin with—I just feel like there was no finality, like she was just beginning to break but hasn’t broken yet. Anyway, this is just my honest impression, I hope only to be helpful to you.
I have also commented in bold on your story. These are just mechanical suggestions; just use what is helpful and forget about the rest.
I enjoyed this.
Keep writing,
G E L
Mrs. Porter’s Breaking
By: Puzzled Poet
Mrs. Porter
She lives alone on her private archipelago. (I visit her every night.)
Still she sleeps. Quietly, quietly. Hush of wind draws back the curtain, revealing sleeping moon tucked in by shades. Its dreams lay in perfect square slices on the floor, silvery white. All else is dark.
“Why are all the girls so hungry,” she asks. (Place a ? instead of the , after “hungry.”) Breath like ice on a tropical night. (She can’t see me.) (She still knows I’m there.) I am her comfort these days. I float motionlessly toward her and settle just over her bed. Quietly, quietly. (Don’t want to wake her.) “Why are all the girls so hungry?”
Husband dead, family driven away. A rich, old woman—rotting away. Undoubtedly on the brink of madness. (No wonder she knows I’m here.)
“I don’t know, Mrs. Porter,” I breathe, sitting with my back toward her. Hush of skin draws back blanket, revealing sleeping crone tucked in by shades. Her dreams lay shattered on the floor—silvery white. “Maybe something in the water.
” (I think this was a typo, the ” should be next to “water.”)
“Why are all the boys so lonely,” she asks. Icy breath shifts in tempo and register—she’s not asleep anymore. (Again, put a ? instead of a , after “lonely.”) I
remain as I am; I continue to stare down the wall opposite her. Quietly, quietly. (Don’t want to break her.)
“I don’t know, Mrs. Porter,” I repeat.
“Why are all the boys so lonely?”
“Maybe it’s the cold, Mrs. Porter. The common cold.”
I feel the bed shift under me—feel. (Ha.) She’s sitting up now, head and shoulders resting on the wooden headboard. (I know her eyes are open.) I remain as I am. She seems to ponder my answer, then either accepts it or dismisses it. (I can’t tell.)
I feel her eyes on me. She can’t see me. (Still knows I’m there.) I rise, still facing away, and slide to the window. Quietly, quietly. Silver and black moonbeams echo off a restless sea.
I hear her throat catch. She wants to speak, but can’t. Bedsprings creak; she sits up. Flick, flick. The curtain flaps by an excited beat of wind. Bedsprings creak; she settles back to her headboard. Flick, flick.
Quietly, quietly! The tranquil room suddenly seems full of sound, piercing sound, scratching sound. Flick, flick! Shhh, begs the breeze. Another bedspring creaks as the old woman shifts. Tock, tock, tock, screams a grandfather clock, three rooms away. The whole house seems to pulse. Quietly! I implore. Quietly!
She’s right behind me. I cannot hide from her anymore. I pivot around, frightened. (What irony, an old woman scaring a—well.) She looks—into me, not past me. Crystal tears shiver down the rivulets on her face. Her green eyes are paling, fading. (She looks more the part than I do.) (So sad!)
Breaking in her eyes.
Breaking in our eyes.
Shaking, earthquake of sorrow. Quietly, quietly. (Don’t want to break her.)
“Why are all the girls so hungry,” she asks. (? Mark after “hungry.”)
“Why are all the boys so lonely,” she asks. (? Mark after “lonely.”)
“I don’t know, Mrs. Porter, I don’t know.”
I see her throat catch. She gasps but keeps control.
“Why can’t anybody see me,” she asks. (? Mark after “me.”)
Silver and black moonbeams echo off a restless me.
“I don’t know, Mrs. Porter. I don’t know.”
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