The Girl and the Garden (1587 hits)
Category: Quotes & StoriesLabels: fiction
Rating: 1.89 on 64 reviews (Rate this item) (V)
Submitted by Sacrilicious (View user info) at 2007-10-29 11:46:57 EDT
Abbey didn't much feel like being Abbey today.
She sat Indian-style on the plush gray carpet, a cross stare aimed squarely at Charlie. He sat with his back at a perfect 90-degree angle, up against her wooden window sill.
"He sits up so straight..just like they always tell me to do at school," she thought.
Abbey's eyes traced the fine honey curls that framed his face. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of her dull brown locks in her vanity mirror. They hung heavy against her cheeks, greasy and tangled.
Charlie's lips, usually curved slightly upward in a sycophantic smile, were pursed tightly as he stared back at her in silence. Abbey bit the inside of her own perpetually-chapped lip, until she could taste the blood in her mouth.
She knew what he had done, and neither of them was going to leave the room until he admitted it.
***
Abbey stood in front of the mirror, one arm arced above her head as her gangly legs sank into an awkward plié.
"Abigail, get down here now!" she heard her mother shout from the kitchen.
Startled, her knees gave out and she fell to the floor. She rose on shaky legs and headed slowly for the stairs. She heard her mother shriek again before she even reached the bottom step.
"Abbey, were you in Mr DeLuca's yard today?"
Abbey loved Mr DeLuca's garden. His was the biggest on the block, because he only had a neighbor on one side. His yard flanked the entrance to the back alley where all the rowhouses on the street had tiny driveways and basement entrances. The alley ran along the wooded creek where the neighborhood children had all sorts of adventures.
He had only moved here two summers ago, but his grand garden looked like it had been there forever. He grew a hundred different things. The vegetable patch had tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, and big barrels of basil, sage, and oregano. Across the lawn were strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries. And there were lots of different flowers- roses, hyacinths, crocuses, lilac, and many others Abbey didn't know the names of. She liked the hydrangeas best, because they were really pretty and she liked the way the name sounded. She wondered why there were no girls named Hydrangea. She knew a Lily, a Rose, a Violet.. why no hydrangea? She decided that if she ever had a little girl, she would name her after the flowers, and maybe sometimes she would call her Angie for short.
Abbey liked to play in the shade at the edge of the fence. She would spy on cars as they entered the alley, and try to guess the driver of each one as she heard the wheels approaching. Sometimes she'd dig for worms with a stick in the soft soil where the tomatoes grew, or she'd search for ladybugs in the flowers. Other times she'd help herself to a handful of blackberries and just lie in the grass.
The only problem was Abbey wasn't allowed to play there. For as beautiful as his garden was, Mr DeLuca was an ugly man. He had a big red nose and wiry gray hair, and he never smiled at Abbey or any of the other kids. It was almost as if he was afraid of them. Abbey overheard her parents talking once, and from what she could understand, the computer said he was a bad, bad man. She was forbidden to talk to him, and her mom said if he ever tried to talk to her, she should run home right away.
The only one she ever told about sneaking into the garden was Charlie. She would come home at night and tell him all about her day. She could tell he was a little jealous.
She knew Mr DeLuca went away every afternoon, and she easily fit through the gap where the fence had been broken for as long as she could remember. The vines that grew along the fence blocked her from view. She could see out, but no one could easily see in. The old man came home before dinner every night. She would see his car pull into the driveway first, and she could slip out, unseen.
But that afternoon, something was different. Abbey was digging in the tomato patch when she looked up past the trees and noticed the sky was turning orange. "It's getting late, must be time for dinner," she thought, and she started to pat the soil back in its place.
She stood up, brushing dirt from her jeans, and turned toward the fence. She rounded a tall hedge, and nearly bumped into Mr DeLuca. Her eyes grew wide and she stifled a scream. How long had he been standing there? Before the man said a word, Abbey was off and running. As she ran down into the alley, she looked back only one time, and saw that for once, his car was parked on the street.
***
"Answer me!" Her mother's face was pale. Abbey had never seen her look so worried and angry at the same time.
"No, mommy, you told me not to go there!"
"Abbey, honey, listen," she said, as she tried to calm her shaking voice. "Are you alright? He didn't hurt you, did he? I just need you to tell me what happened..you're not in trouble if you just tell me what happened..what he said to you.."
"No, I didn't go there! He didn't say anything!" yelled the child, stamping her foot and crossing her arms defensively. Her mother became frantic.
"Abbey, go to your room and don't you come down until you're ready to tell me the truth!" she screamed.
Head hanging and jaw locked, Abbey retreated to her bedroom.
***
As always, Charlie was waiting there for her at the window. She stomped over to him, red faced.
"It was you, wasn't it? You told her! You told on me because you're too little to go and you're just jealous!"
Abbey was furious at Charlie. She was always so nice to him, telling him stories and letting him play with her toys when she was away.
She didn't want to lose her secret hiding place. She didn't want to get in trouble. She had to make sure he wouldn't tell her secrets to anyone again.
She grabbed for her scissors, and with a tight fist, she lunged at him. She heard a sickening sound as the dull blades broke through his flesh. Shrieking and swinging her arms wildly, she struck him again and again.
As her tirade ended, she loosened her grip on the scissors and held them limply at her side. Tired, she collapsed into her desk chair.
With one of his eyes now hanging loose from its socket, Charlie stared back at her still.
User Reviews
Submitted by HotWillie (user info) at 2008-02-06 21:38:18 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by scourge (user info) at 2007-10-31 12:55:36 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
so... what i gather from the comments is that you posted this on pulseHEAD under some other name and it was well received. especially by kaos_king.
(i wouldn't know as i quit using pulsehead once a bunch of people turned it into a whinier version of an uber circle jerk)
the conclusion that can be drawn from this is that you identified yourself as a female on pulsehead.
Submitted by Snark (user info) at 2007-10-30 21:04:00 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by monkeyswithguns (user info) at 2007-10-30 18:51:36 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Pretty good. What makes it awesome though, is that the girl's name is Abbey, and my niece's name is also Abbi, short for Abigail, and she's pure awesome.
So, logic dictates that if Abbi=awesome, then Abbey=awesome, and if Abbey=awesome, then this story MUST be awesome.
Or something.
Submitted by sicosemen (user info) at 2007-10-30 13:39:16 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Danke...lemme know if you want a clit rubbin' courtesy of your local Daimler Chrysler retailer and Hot Pockets.
Submitted by shadow (user info) at 2007-10-30 11:29:18 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
nice.
I always found dolls creepy, especially the broken ones.
Submitted by CaptainThorns (user info) at 2007-10-30 09:18:56 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Good stuff.
Submitted by sicosemen (user info) at 2007-10-30 06:32:16 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Details, do tell.
Submitted by bart (user info) at 2007-10-30 05:04:40 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by ColchesterDr (user info) at 2007-10-30 00:41:45 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by Bubba2341 (user info) at 2007-10-29 23:17:34 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Good stuff.
Submitted by lungfish (user info) at 2007-10-29 19:08:59 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I'm going to act like I read this, and then I'll read it later when I'm not so friggin hungry.
This was awesome.
Submitted by ParlorTrick (user info) at 2007-10-29 18:09:40 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Makes you wonder. A good read, thank you.
Submitted by gravitas (user info) at 2007-10-29 18:00:45 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
guess the creepy farmer guy is going back to jail
Submitted by triangle_man (user info) at 2007-10-29 17:57:10 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Submitted by Shlongy (user info) at 2007-10-29 17:51:40 EDT (#)
Ranking: 1
Why does this post have such a high rating...I don't see any hole so THAT can't be it.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Skull dude
Submitted by Shlongy (user info) at 2007-10-29 17:51:40 EDT (#)
Ranking: 1
Why does this post have such a high rating...I don't see any hole so THAT can't be it.
Submitted by haikumikoo (user info) at 2007-10-29 17:39:17 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I think this is the first time I've read one of your posts.
I think I might do it again sometime.
Submitted by firefly (user info) at 2007-10-29 17:06:56 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by beat_raven (user info) at 2007-10-29 17:06:55 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I liked this.
Miss 'Licious... if you have a set of writings I haven't been exposed to, please don't hold out on me!!
~Crystle
Submitted by HadToBeDone (user info) at 2007-10-29 17:01:59 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Submitted by Anansie (user info) at 2007-10-29 12:04:13 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
DangerPants, why are you so anfry all the time?
-----
Star Wars Episode 200 lbs: The Revenge of the Chips
Submitted by lechuza (user info) at 2007-10-29 16:53:29 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I think this is the first time I read something you wrote. I must start doing it more often.
Submitted by JonnyX (user info) at 2007-10-29 16:25:24 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
aaaigh - that picture.
Submitted by Sacrilicious (user info) at 2007-10-29 15:09:48 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Submitted by Berty (user info) at 2007-10-29 12:28:37 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
This is wicked and all but seriously; WTF is with all the rage in these stories?
===
I hear you in general, Bertram, but not many of of the stories I've posted involve those things.
I found this picture, randomly, a long time ago. I always wanted to write something on it, and it definitely lent itself to something sinister. I wrote and posted this to pulseHead months ago, along with a few random other things before it went down. I just didn't tell anyone who I was until now.
Submitted by Lib (user info) at 2007-10-29 14:20:52 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by TheUniter (user info) at 2007-10-29 14:07:04 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by TheUniter (user info) at 2007-10-29 14:06:55 EDT (#)
Ranking: 1
Sacrilicious - hair + structure = Ghola
Submitted by Susie_Derkins (user info) at 2007-10-29 13:46:58 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
yep
Submitted by sicosemen (user info) at 2007-10-29 13:34:54 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Okay....that was a dick move, because I base life's success on uber ratings. Obviously, you're a better person than me.
Submitted by Sacrilicious (user info) at 2007-10-29 13:33:57 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Submitted by kaos-king (user info) at 2007-10-29 12:43:36 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Sacrilicious, you rule my fuckin' face off...
(got your e-mail)
===
<3 You were the most welcoming of the whole wagon.
Submitted by sicosemen (user info) at 2007-10-29 13:33:50 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by sicosemen (user info) at 2007-10-29 13:33:43 EDT (#)
Ranking: 1
Just cause my return wouldn't be complete without a streak ruin. This piece was good and all, but not epic. Okay, it was great, but not grand. You wanna fuck?
Submitted by DeathJester (user info) at 2007-10-29 13:19:21 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
STREAK BREAKER -2! HAHAHAHAHAHA
Uhh... Ok. Someone stole all the ratings but +2.
Guess you can have one of those, then.
Submitted by kaos-king (user info) at 2007-10-29 12:43:36 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Sacrilicious, you rule my fuckin' face off...
(got your e-mail)
Submitted by triangle_man (user info) at 2007-10-29 12:41:32 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I hate dolls
Submitted by ghola (user info) at 2007-10-29 12:40:18 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I can't help it if brutality makes me hungerish
Submitted by kaos-king (user info) at 2007-10-29 12:33:50 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by ghola (user info) at 2007-10-29 12:32:48 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
you know what this story is missing?
fresh baked cookies, still warm and gooey.
I might be saying this because I am hungry.
_______________________
It seems as if you are often hungry...
Submitted by ghola (user info) at 2007-10-29 12:32:48 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
you know what this story is missing?
fresh baked cookies, still warm and gooey.
I might be saying this because I am hungry.
Submitted by Berty (user info) at 2007-10-29 12:28:37 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
This is wicked and all but seriously; WTF is with all the rage in these stories? If it's not kiddy gets fiddled it's kiddy murders someone dead or someone falling in/out of love and killing themselves or generally something involving death and/or getting fucked up.
Y'all need to take fewer drugs and listen to less Led Zepplin. Maybe have a heartwarming experience teaching an inner city kid to read or something.
Submitted by Wompom (user info) at 2007-10-29 12:23:05 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
WTF. Is a happy ending too much to ask? Well written, though.
Submitted by rorrim (user info) at 2007-10-29 12:19:32 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by inion_de_trua (user info) at 2007-10-29 12:11:09 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
i've read this before. but because it might have been on ph
So handy, people with betta memory's..
Submitted by Fey (user info) at 2007-10-29 12:17:35 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I agree with Anansie, I feel slightly cheated. I wanted to know more about Abbey. But +2 some actual writing.
Submitted by MudWhistle (user info) at 2007-10-29 12:17:04 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
if you're such a good technical writer why don't you let me send you ideas and you do the writing.
Submitted by Sacrilicious (user info) at 2007-10-29 12:15:14 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
kk is on to me.
DP....k..I'll never let that be said. I'm flattered I've made such an impression on you that you 'can't stand me' though. I can't say you've made any strong impression on me. Thanks for reading.
Anansie- thanks for the compliment. And you're right. The truth is, I'm a decent writer in the technical sense, but I'm short on ideas sometimes. I wrote this months ago, and didn't reread it before I posted today. I'm sure I could improve on it.
Submitted by FlakMonkey (user info) at 2007-10-29 12:12:40 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Charlie sounds like a poofter.
~Brdn_Nkd
Submitted by DrogoRoch (user info) at 2007-10-29 12:12:04 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Aww I like this a lot.
Submitted by inion_de_trua (user info) at 2007-10-29 12:11:09 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
i've read this before. but because it might have been on ph i'll +2 and assume you didn't jack it from someone else based on the highly reliable indicator of your internet persona.
:D
Submitted by forensicgirl3 (user info) at 2007-10-29 12:07:41 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Schweeeeet!
Submitted by hour_man (user info) at 2007-10-29 12:05:55 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by phuzzygish (user info) at 2007-10-29 12:04:23 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I haven't read this before.
Submitted by MudWhistle (user info) at 2007-10-29 12:05:38 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by Anansie (user info) at 2007-10-29 12:04:13 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
DangerPants, why are you so anfry all the time?
===============
hahahahhahaha....not touching this one.
lovely piece here saccy
lovely?
Submitted by phuzzygish (user info) at 2007-10-29 12:04:23 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I haven't read this before.
Submitted by Anansie (user info) at 2007-10-29 12:04:13 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
DangerPants, why are you so anfry all the time?
Submitted by DangerPants (user info) at 2007-10-29 12:03:03 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Never let it be said that I only rate the poster. Because I really can't stand you and your other circle-jerk friends, but this was really good stuff. I would have +4'd if there were such a thing.
Submitted by Anansie (user info) at 2007-10-29 11:57:45 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I really enjoyed the build up but the morbid turn at the end just seems... I don't know, an easy way to end the story without getting too complex. Like the waking up and realizing it was all a dream type thing.
Also, I know everyone on ubersite has a short attention span, but I was enjoying this enough to have read more of this, if you'd written more.
Still, except for the ending, this is one of the better things I've read on here in a while.
Submitted by rorrim (user info) at 2007-10-29 11:57:25 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
At least that pic was published (by you) before. Don't have the energy to check the post.
Sac=auto+2 anyway, so why bother?
Submitted by kaos-king (user info) at 2007-10-29 11:55:07 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Saccy, e-mail me at antius777.at.yahoo.com
Submitted by EmissionImpossible (user info) at 2007-10-29 11:55:03 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Hmmm well i think *my lips are sealed*
Oh I dunno and if my work colleague doesnt stop humming as she types, I may kill her.
Submitted by GodChicken (user info) at 2007-10-29 11:54:57 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
SOMEONE SMELLS LIKE RAPE
Submitted by ChaosJester (user info) at 2007-10-29 11:53:52 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
WTF is an awkward plié?
Also, this was pretty good...
Submitted by Sacrilicious (user info) at 2007-10-29 11:53:40 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Submitted by kaos-king (user info) at 2007-10-29 11:50:45 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeey...
Wait a minute.
Hmmm...
===
*blinks innocently*
Submitted by Paralyzed_By_Hope (user info) at 2007-10-29 11:50:54 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by kaos-king (user info) at 2007-10-29 11:50:45 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeey...
Wait a minute.
Hmmm...
Submitted by Merlina (user info) at 2007-10-29 11:49:37 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
grand.
Submitted by Orgasmatron (user info) at 2007-10-29 11:49:18 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I LOVE THAT DIRTY WUTTEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEER
LOVE THAT DIRTY WUTTEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEER
SOX: 2007 CHAMPEENS
Submitted by Sacrilicious (user info) at 2007-10-29 11:48:01 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Someone may have read this before.