Friday 31 October 2008

Something for This Night : Penny Dolan

The wind blew down the sides of the moor, and something stirred in the ditch. It heaved itself out and along, and began to whimper like a baby, like a child.
“All alone and lonely oh!” it cried.
Down it came, along by the byre, and across the yard, and the pair inside heard the calling and crying.
“All alone and lonely oh! I’m all alone and lonely oh!”
The woman looked at the man and the man looked at the woman, and the sound of weeping and wailing outside grew louder.
“All alone and lonely oh!”
Something somehow made them pull back the latch, something made them open the door more than a finger-width.
“Alone and lonely oh?” Something outside whispered. Then it gave a kind of laugh, way way down in its throat.Then something came through.

Old Joe said – and mind you he was known for his drink – that as he passed the farm jut as dawn was creeping across the sky, something was singing in a voice burning with glee.
“All alone and lonely oh, again, again, again . . .”
And the farmer and his wife were never seen in these parts anymore.

Enjoy your night tonight!

1 comment:

Dianne Hofmeyr said...

Penny this was great! Have somehow missed out on a few blogs and have only picked it up way past Halloween! But I read it hearing your voice telling it with all your inflections... as if we were sitting up in library at Charney by candlelight!