Hothouse Lizzards Part 1 by D G Williford Voodoo, New Orleans, Spanish Moss, etc... all the things that everyone wants to read a... [2,641 words]
Flower Taboo by William S Patten Novice.... looking for feedback. [711 words]
Losing Mrs. Jefferson by Shelley J Alongi In 1782, Thomas Jefferson was summoned by Congress to serve in france as the new United S... [2,277 words]
Wheatley's Last Wish by Drakeman Robert Kincaide Continuation to previous entries. [3,119 words]
The Unloved Woman by Emmie Sinclair A sad tale about the life of a homeless person, people we often forget. [585 words]
The Leprechaun's Gift by Carrie Landes A short story about a girl and how a little leprechaun teaches her a lesson. [964 words]
The Horror Of Existence by Sunny Musings on a shitty moment in time. [573 words]
The Heart Behind The Shield by Sara Roggy There's a heart behind every lie, every temper, and every shield. [770 words]
Peggie by Robert Levin My chance to cross gross obesity from the list of body types I hadn't yet scored. [1,519 words]
Nothing's De Facto by Ben S D If your the type of person who hates stories with no eventual ending, then I sincerely apolo... [2,682 words]
Night In Antigua by D G Williford Part one of a slighted warrior bent on revenge towards his derelict father... [194 words]
Missing Pieces by Ian Goodall An unusual event happens aboard a space ship called the Basilisk. An engineer finds himself in a... [696 words]
Desk Lunch Part 6 by D G Williford Life goes on in the cubicle world... [136 words]
Desk Lunch Part 4 by D G Williford On the way to postal... [303 words]
Dear Stepdad by D G Williford A stepson realizes what it takes to be a caretaker. [256 words]
Cmon You Can Tell Me by Sunny Let's compare notes on our moms and dads... [523 words]
Desk Lunch Part 5 by D G Williford She has totally lost it, but you guess... [153 words]
Words.Enter.Head.Write.Something.Good. by J L Watts The story of someone who struggles to find anything decent to write. It'... [1,013 words]
Tunnel Vision by Gerald E Sheagren This story, my very latest, entitled "Tunnel Vision", deals with a man's uneasy relationship with... [7,587 words]
Tsp - Part Two by David B Doc Byron The hit is set up. [456 words]
Tsp Part Three by David B Doc Byron The hitman kills time while awaiting the big day. [506 words]
Tsp Part Four by David B Doc Byron The hitman decides to go through with it. [272 words]
Tsp - Part Five by David B Doc Byron The moment finally arrives. [515 words]
Tsp - Interlude by David B Doc Byron See if you can make the connection. [143 words]
Tsp - Epilogue by David B Doc Byron The hitman is still haunted by his past. [399 words]
The Running by David B Doc Byron A man left alone after a holocaust reflects back on his former life. [437 words]
The Pursuit by J L Watts A dark story that I'd like feedback on concerning the twists and vampire elements. My darkest work ... [1,877 words]
The Messiah by David B Doc Byron A small town youth grows up to be the anti-christ. [331 words]
The 2nd Party - Part 0ne by David B Doc Byron An ex-hitman reflects back on the job that changed his life forever. [295 words]
Sweet Revenge by Ashley Mowery Story of lust, romance, and revenge. [498 words]
Quiet by Christopher Syrett - [217 words]
No Hesitation by Amelia R James ‘I don’t care how it gets done. I just want it done and I want it done now! Am I clear?’ said th... [3,628 words]
Moses And The Parting Of The Red Sea by Rowan Davies A story adapted from the greatest work of fiction ever written. I would se... [796 words]
Jesus Christ Superslacker by Rowan Davies The happy work of a contented atheist. [686 words]
Getting Gas by Ashley Mowery A young girl questioned her boyfriends commitment to her. As a result, she finds herself in a terri... [318 words]
From Riches To Rags by Nicole Mowery She lived in a well to do neighborhood with well respected parents. Her life couldn't have ... [1,827 words]
Desk Lunch Part 3 by D G Williford The sales rep continues with her day... [314 words]
Desk Lunch Part 2 by D G Williford The same but more.... [346 words]
Desk Lunch Part 1 by D G Williford A middle aged sales rep deals with the confines of her life. [390 words]
City Of The Dead by David B Doc Byron The original story that inspired the poem ''Book of the dead.'' [407 words]
A Rural Tragedy by Nik Siromah - [986 words]
A Spontaneous Arrival Of Exalted Fancy by Bob M Ra - [908 words]
Variation On A Theme In The Key Of - Part Ii by Erik Sjoen - [5,231 words]
The Wooden Box by D G Williford Lesson in shared grief through an antique box. [509 words]
The Optimist Club by David B Doc Byron Its a surprise. [395 words]
The Locket by D G Williford You tell me.... Please read and review... feel free to comment! [880 words]
The Killing Ground by Gerald E Sheagren A short story. [2,196 words]
The Keepsake
The Extraordinary Stillness by Bob M Ra - [547 words]
The Eland by Martin Glenpool A story of a young khoi-san boy's coming-of age. [637 words]
Rooms Ana Houses Of Haunting by Serepx A story bout the ghosts of a forgotten past. [2,967 words]
Queenie Takes The Match by Gerald E Sheagren This story is set in 1903 New York City, which, by far, was a lot more dangerous place ... [3,828 words]
People Are Talking by Erik Sjoen - [1,161 words]
Mist Walkers by D G Williford How I feel every time I visit a new cemetary... [112 words]
Malaise by B C Mercer The tale of a troubled and depressed young man. [1,408 words]
Joe And The Woman by Elicia Marie Berg A narrative of a romantic relationship. [1,245 words]
Heaven Or Hell by B C Mercer A Reverend encounters events he never dreamed would happen to him and his family. He questions ... [5,708 words]
Destiny's Fate by B C Mercer An inspirational revelation of two young lovers in a foreign land. [1,699 words]
Crash by Matthew Mohan A short "out-n-back" story involving a teenager's struggle with responsibility, action, alcohol, and wait... [4,243 words]
Big Hit At The Lone Wolf by Gerald E Sheagren Having the two largest and most profitable casinos located in Connecticut, I often hea... [2,333 words]
At Nite With Liv by Serepx A short story about a girl with intense bloo eyes. [3,674 words]
A Crown Hath Promised by Keri McGriff - [156 words]
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TITLE (EDIT)
The Keepsake |
DESCRIPTION
Love Story... read and review... come one come all!
[837 words] |
TITLE KEYWORD
Relationships |
AUTHOR
D G Williford |
ABOUT
THE AUTHOR
Don't hate me because I'm crazy!
[August 2006] |
AUTHOR'S OTHER TITLES (54)
A Rose In Winter (Poetry) Love that never bloomed... written in 1991 about a relationship that wasn't meant to be. [253 words]
About My Sisters (Poetry) Life is short... just ask Doc and Judith...I am very close to my sisters and wanted to pay tribute to them... [95 words]
All Hallows Eve (Poetry) ....graveyard play. [72 words]
Braided Belt From Hell (Short Stories) Frustration of trying to get to work on a rainy day... [393 words]
Bruises (Poetry) [55 words]
Buried Alive? (Poetry) Daylight dreaming and no way out. [89 words]
Chest Of Pain (Poetry) What happened to me but not this bad to make me quit smoking... it stinks, but so did I then. [69 words]
Daddy Where Art Thou? (Poetry) Poem about my daughter and her birth father.... [179 words]
Dear Stepdad (Short Stories) A stepson realizes what it takes to be a caretaker. [256 words]
Desk Lunch Part 1 (Short Stories) A middle aged sales rep deals with the confines of her life. [390 words]
Desk Lunch Part 2 (Short Stories) The same but more.... [346 words]
Desk Lunch Part 3 (Short Stories) The sales rep continues with her day... [314 words]
Desk Lunch Part 4 (Short Stories) On the way to postal... [303 words]
Desk Lunch Part 5 (Short Stories) She has totally lost it, but you guess... [153 words]
Desk Lunch Part 6 (Short Stories) Life goes on in the cubicle world... [136 words]
Dragonfly Mile (Short Stories) Whimsical flight of fantasy reality as a young woman tries to find her lost... you tell me... [191 words] [Fantasy]
Floaters (Poetry) Beware of things that fly peripherally... [118 words]
Garden Of Bones (Poetry) What lies beneath the backyard? [107 words]
Hothouse Lizards Part 2 (Novels) Voodoo, soul searching and Spanish moss.... [949 words]
Hothouse Lizzards Part 1 (Short Stories) Voodoo, New Orleans, Spanish Moss, etc... all the things that everyone wants to read about... [2,641 words] [Horror]
Howling Dog (Poetry) What I hear tonight with senses heightened... [107 words]
Is It Real Or Is It Memorex? (Short Stories) You tell me... [82 words]
It's That Time Of Year (Poetry) Memories, smells, sounds of Christmas to a young girl. [197 words]
Looking At The Moon (Poetry) Waiting for my lover...I wrote this about 12 years ago and I gave it to my husband for Valentine's Day after we were married... [149 words]
Madness Amongst The Dust (Poetry) Ssshhh! [81 words]
Man And A Tree (Poetry) What happens in a relationship when a man tries to contain a woman and not let her be herself. [215 words] [Relationships]
Mark Of The Beast Part Three (Short Stories) The saga continues with a gal stuck in Armageddon. [174 words]
Mist Walkers (Short Stories) How I feel every time I visit a new cemetary... [112 words]
Mold Or Old? (Poetry) A woman faces her fears of growing old... [116 words]
My Curse (Poetry) A woman is plagued by other's sights... [266 words]
Night In Antigua (Short Stories) Part one of a slighted warrior bent on revenge towards his derelict father... [194 words]
Nightmare At Brushy Creek (Short Stories) While sleeping dreams become reality... [106 words]
Nocturnal Juices (Poetry) Sexual demon encounter. [103 words]
Procrastination 2003 (Poetry) Waiting can be the death of you. [87 words]
Pull Of The Tides (Poetry) Lovers searching... who knows. [246 words]
Roachtrap (Poetry) Like sticky glue the roach is caught! [125 words]
Rutapottamus (Poetry) I think I saw a Rutapottamus... [114 words]
Smoke Lover (Poetry) Hint of smoke, love ? [68 words]
Take Me To The South (Poetry) Simple diddy re the South. [187 words]
The Countess Of Storymania (Poetry) Everyone knows. [13 words]
The Cubicle (Short Stories) Working in a box and what is does to the psyche... [104 words]
The Evil Root (Short Stories) Manna Madness runs rampant. [165 words]
The Hidden (Poetry) - [27 words]
The Locket (Short Stories) You tell me.... Please read and review... feel free to comment! [880 words]
The Lost Garden (Poetry) Lost History. [129 words]
The Machine (Poetry) Sensitive abortion piece from the baby's viewpoint [160 words]
The Mantel (Poetry) Leaving your heart on the mantel.... and more. [160 words]
The Presidents (Poetry) Twisty and hidden.. You tell me.. I'll let you know if you're right. [122 words]
The Talking House (Poetry) Echoes of old earth and stone.. are you listening? [107 words]
The Tree Of Life (Poetry) I have a tree in my backyard that I'm sure is the center of the universe... There is a suburbia of animals et all living there... Please Read... [119 words]
The Wooden Box (Short Stories) Lesson in shared grief through an antique box. [509 words] [Motivational]
Tick Tock (Poetry) Betrayal.... [55 words]
Wanderlust (Poetry) You guess... vampire... or lover??? [150 words]
White White Wonderland (Poetry) A short poem scaling seasons from childhood to adult... [134 words] [Motivational]
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The Keepsake
D G Williford
I woke up to the sounds of the waves crashing against the rocks
outside my bedroom window. I wiped my eyes and stretched
wondering what today would bring.
Looking out the open window, I watched the gulls swoop and cry as they playfully
looked for a tasty breakfast of mussels.
I felt the salt breeze misting my face and then it hit
me.
Today was the day that I had been dreading for the past year.
My husband, Seth and I had loved the sea ever since we were
teenagers growing up in a small fishing village in New England.
We had fallen in love in ninth grade and got married in the white steepled
church where we both were baptized.
We had always known that we would never leave this sleepy
little burg that we cherished, because of it's simplicity
and laid back lifestyle. We wanted to raise our children
and grow old together here. Like any other young couple,
we had big plans for the future.
Seth was an accomplished boatbuilder and sometimes fishing guide,
and I stayed at home to write my children's books. We were so happy
in our little world until that day.
The coldest day of the year and of my life.
Seth came rushing in the door like a young boy on Christmas Eve,
cheeks all flushed from the cold, his auburn hair more curly than
usual and a look of sheer bliss on his tanned face.
He swooped me up in his strong arms and twirled me around the room,
letting out whoops the whole while. As soon as we both stopped laughing and
he set me down, I found out what all the excitement was about.
Seth had been commissioned by a wealthy banker in New York to build a 65
foot sailboat. This meant that we could finally plan our family and
maybe even get a bigger house. I might even be able to get a personal
computer to type my books. We were both delirious with thoughts
of what we could do with this windfall.
Seth kissed me and told me how much he loved me. I waved to him
as he pulled out of the drive in his old Ford pickup. He honked the
horn as he set off to town to start scoping out the materials that he
would need for this special project.
I looked at the sky and remembered just why I loved living here
so much. The clouds rolled overhead, billowing like big puffs of
cotton candy. The air was clean and pure and life was good.
I went inside the cottage and poured another cup of coffee. I
decided that I needed to finish the next chapter in my book, so I
went to the bedroom where my makeshift writing desk sat. I put
down my cup on an old lace doily and looked over the pages that I had
completed. But my eyes went somewhere else.
I had a special drawer in my desk that held my keepsakes over the
years. I opened that drawer and pulled out the contents.
Before I knew it I was crying, as I did every time I looked at these
items.
There was a red ribbon from my dress that I wore on our very
first date. Seth had caught my ribbon on his watchband and it had
pulled out. We laughed later that it was his first bungled attempt at
seducing me.
Then my fingers touched the lock of hair that was bound with the red ribbon.
Seth had been very ill shortly after we were first married, in
fact we didn't know if he would pull through. The doctors told us
that it was a type of meningitis that was 75% fatal. But my strong
stubborn Seth pulled through. The medication caused his beautiful auburn
curls to fall out, so I kept one in my keepsake drawer to
remember how fortunate we were to be together.
I was putting the treasures back in their special place when the
phone rang. It was Phil. We had grown up with Phil and he was
now the town Sheriff.
He told me through a cracking voice, that
there had been an accident.
The next thing I remember was someone holding me as I screamed
at the top of my lungs.
They said that I would not let go of the red ribbon with the lock of hair.
I don't remember much of that day except that it stole my future.
My husband, my children and my dreams.
Well, it was a year ago today that I got the phone call.
I still think about Seth all the time.
I wake up at night crying out for his strong arms to comfort me.
I stand on the rocks and let the salt spray slap me into reality.
There are many nights that I can't sleep at all, and that is when I write.
Maybe, one day the pain will go away but right now, it is what is
keeping me alive.
That and a lock of hair tied in a red ribbon from a girl's dress so long ago.
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READER'S REVIEWS (3)
DISCLAIMER: STORYMANIA DOES NOT PROVIDE AND IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR REVIEWS. ALL REVIEWS ARE PROVIDED BY NON-ASSOCIATED VISITORS, REGARDLESS OF THE WAY THEY CALL THEMSELVES.
"Such a sad story D.J.!! Perhaps, if you could somehow correct the formatting that sometimes happens when cutting and pasting when posting, this story would flow better and make for an easier read. Also, if you could show some kind of resolution with your ending, although your charactor does find solace in her writing and the lock of hair, the ending comes rather suddenly leaving the reader with the feeling that something is missing. Just some thoughts and impressions, hope this helps!" -- Monte.
"Thanks Monte! I didn't realize that the cut and paste had come through so horribly.. I fixed it and I think it flows a lot nicer.. however, I didn't change the storyline.. I can't think of a way to make her pain any less poignant or an easier recipe for her healing. Thanks for the comments! " -- D. G. Williford.
"So much better now D.G.!!! Good job!" -- Monte.
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COPYRIGHT NOTICE
© 2003 D G Williford |
STORYMANIA PUBLICATION DATE
April 2003 |
NUMBER OF TIMES TITLE VIEWED
2422
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