Coming Friday January 22, 2016
From Carmilla
Voiez
Excerpt
-
Portraits loomed
over my head. I shrank beneath the weight of their stares. My ears grasped
echoes of resentful whispers and I hung my head in shame. Ashamed of what? I
couldn’t remember, not really, perhaps it was purely that I wasn’t more like
her.
I faced her door,
shaking with fear, expecting her to rush out at any moment, screaming my name
or slapping my face. I concentrated on my breathing, trying in vain to calm
down. I was grown up now. She couldn’t hurt me anymore.
Mastering my fear,
I opened her bedroom door and inspected the empty room. Vivienne’s huge bed
crouched in the corner like a monster ready to pounce. Shadows lingered at the
edges, a dark audience to mother’s regular performances. The air smelt stale.
It reeked of old perfume, sweat and sex.
I marched to the
wardrobe and opened the door. Frills burst forth from its bowels. I moved soft,
delicate fabrics and checked behind them. No one lurked there. I pulled back
the curtains and opened a window. Sunlight poured through the smeared glass,
bouncing off Vivienne’s full-length mirror and flooding the room.
Breathing slower
now, I sheathed my knife and strolled to the bedroom door. Already the air
smelled fresher. I turned around as I reached the hallway, glancing back at the
rich fabrics and heavily patterned wallpaper - a true boudoir, a shrine to her
pleasure. I sighed and moved to walk away when something caught my eye. Turning
back to the room, I watched as the décor altered.
Subtly at first - the colour of the
light-shade, a change of carpet then everything looked different. And there was
Mother, centre stage, on the bed, naked, legs splayed and mounted by a huge
man. Her flushed face fixed on me and I was a terrified ten-year-old girl once
more.
‘What do you think
you’re staring at?’ Vivienne demanded.
‘Maybe she wants
to join in,’ the oily-voiced stranger suggested.
Join the party on
Facebook (22 Jan) https://www.facebook.com/events/1649693945292865/
5*
review by Sheri A Wilkinson - “A well written story, filled with emotions. The
vivid details made me feel as if I were experiencing life throw Crow's eyes.
The story was very original, just when I thought I might have things figured
out a new twist or surprise would surface. I recommend to those who like a good
dramatic story with a twist of paranormal.”
5*
review by Z. V. Adams - “A hauntingly beautiful, poetic read.”
4*
review by Jef Rouner - “The mystery of the house and the bad things done there
will keep you turning the page, but it's the beautifully flawed gender-queer
uniqueness of Crow that will carry you along.”
5*
review by Christina Escamilla - “The duality of dreams and the waking world
really plays off into Crow's own introspection and how she begins to unfold
buried secrets. There is the known versus the subversive that is almost
rhythmic as you continue to learn more and more. Would definitely recommend!”
5*
review by snscuster - “With her superb writing and understanding of her
characters, Carmilla Voiez has brought light to a situation of tragedy and
triumph so well that I think it should be considered required reading for high
school students and beyond.”
5*
review by Kate Marie Robbins - “It is by far the most intriguing, interesting,
and unexpected book I have ever read. I couldn't put it down.”
No comments:
Post a Comment