Halloween Stories

Halloween Stories

 

THE EDGE OF DESPAIR

As told to Selinda

Halloween Stories series will be interesting and real stories as related to the author Selinda.

My grandmother Natalia Lizardi was born in Spain in 1901 and later moved to the States.  

The following is a true account of what happened to her when she was 16 years old.

The morning had elapsed into early afternoon.  My four younger sisters were happy and talking all at once because we were going into town. Our house was close to the woods, not far from the beautiful but treacherous cliffs of Spain.  As children, my parents had forbidden us to play close to the cliffs as they were very dangerous and several people over the years had fallen to their deaths. Our cozy home was less than couple of miles outside the nearest "Pueblo."  It was a good walking distance for my family.  But going into town meant going to market and possibly buying new shoes.   My sisters could hardly contain themselves. My baby sister Theresa pulled my hand and tried to coax me to go with them.  She didn't understand why I wanted to stay home.  I offered to stay behind and finish the house chores.  My parents reluctantly agreed. I secretly looked forward to having the house to myself. The bustle and excited chatter from my sisters faded as everyone left. The house was silent.  

As soon as they were out of earshot, I ran upstairs to write in my diary.  Writing stories and poems was my favorite pastime. As a 16 year old girl who shared a room with two of my sisters, moments of privacy were scarce and precious. Rays of orange sunlight shone from the window.   

 By late afternoon I was deep in thought, when in the distance I could hear faint music.  It was low at first and gradually seemed to get closer.  I sat still.  Then I heard my name.   Someone was calling me.  "Natalia.... come."  I didn't recognize the voice but it was coming from the woods.  

I looked outside the window.  I could hear strange music and my name, "Natalia, Natalia come here."  The music and the strange voice seemed to put me in a trancelike stupor.  I remember taking slow and deliberate steps down the stairs and out the door.  "Natalia." The voice beckoned me and I walked deeper and deeper into the woods.  A fierce wind had blown in from the ocean.  It picked up and swayed the tree branches back and forth in my path.  Above, the sky grew dark.  It looked more like night fall.  I knew I shouldn't be out at this time.  My parents would be returning soon.  Still, the voice kept calling my name.  It seemed to have a hold on me.  Dark clouds had rolled in and I kept walking toward the voice, until suddenly I found myself past the woods and at the edge of the cliffs.  I stopped.   The forbidden cliffs!  I remembered my parents warning.  Standing a few feet away from me was the outline of a tall dark shadow.   He was inches from the edge of the cliffs facing me.  Behind him, was the horizon and several hundred feet below were the rocks and the angry sea.  I could hear the waves crashing violently.  I knew it was early evening.  But it looked like night had unexpectedly descended.  Any remnants of sunlight had completely vanished.  "Who are you?"  I managed to utter.  

The conclusion of “The Edge of Despair,” will follow shortly, look for Halloween Stories 2 in the next posting.  The best is yet to come…