Smudges

A photographer sees strange smudges in the photos of his new camera.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Smudges.

An unorthodox short story by Rionna Malloy

With help from Douglas Wills

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dear Sarah,

Thanks for the camera, god knows I needed a new one. You accidentally left the sale sticker on, by the way. Nice to know I’m only worth $800 to you.

 

Kidding! Gotta give you some grief for making your brother write you a letter though. You move away to Michigan, you don’t have a computer, you never answer your phone, seriously, what the hell? The nineteenth century called, they want you back.

 

Love.

  Chris

 

 

 

November 12, 2009

          Decided to try out my new camera today. Went out into the woods�"surprised I didn’t even have to wear a coat. The cold goes right through me usually, but it was actually pretty damn warm out there. I don’t think the gods of Midwestern weather have figured out the season yet.

          I like the camera. It’s different from the old one, going to take some getting used to, but it’s sharp. Has good zoom. I figured out how to record on the way back. This camera records sound too! Goodbye, old camera, to le trash you go.

 

 

November 13, 2009

          Tried out another photo shoot today. I have a metric a*s-ton of homework to tackle in a few, but I have time. It’s not hard, it’s just busywork. Went out later tonight to try out the flash. It’ll be a little bit before I get everything just right, but I think I got some pretty good shots. The forest looks really impressive this time of year.

 

I might load these pictures onto the comp after eating, see what I’ve been getting. It’s hard to see detail on these small camera screens.

 

 

LATER�"downloaded and shifted through the pictures. Pretty good, some focusing issues, it seems, but I think I did a good job with the angles. I haven’t lost my touch. But some of the pictures seem to have defects on them, I wonder if there’s something wrong with the camera? Little smudges on the pictures, not smudges, dark spots.  It

 

That gave me a shock. That one looks like a person. Can’t be, of course, but that’s what it looks like. Kind of hard to tell, since it’s so far away small, but there’s a light spot there like a face.

They all look like that, now that I go back through them. I wouldn’t have thought digital cameras would be able to do this to pictures, but apparently I was wrong.

 

 

November 15, 2009

          I called Ray, but he said my initial idea was right, digital cameras really can’t do that. It’s not like there can be an issue with the film going in. I checked it out, snapped a few shots around the house. Nothing there. They all came out clean, and damn good if I’m being honest. I don’t know, sometimes these little machines we rely on so much just wig out and we don’t know why, every now and then it just doesn’t make sense. I’ve had computers pull some pretty strange s**t too, doesn’t even necessarily mean it’s broken.

          Samantha asked me to shoot her wedding. I can’t believe she’s marrying Alan, I never thought they’d make it this far. I have to admit, these past two years I’ve been waiting for the break-up. High school relationships just don’t work. I guess they’re the exception, though, they seem really happy. Obviously, I said yes. I know she only asked me because she couldn’t get an ‘official’ photographer, but I bet I can do a much better job than any random SOB she decided to hire.

 

 

Dear Chris,

Eep, I thought I took that sticker off! 0r did I leave it on in a sneaky attempt to lower your self-esteem by showing you how little you’re worth to me? Haha, kidding. $

 

Well, you’ll be glad to know this is your last letter. I bought a new phone yesterday; it’s an iphone so it’s definitely much more shiny technology than I need. My new number is 418-927-891. But I lost all my old contacts, so you’re going to have to send me your number again, okay? I mean, I have the home number, obviously, but don’t you buy a new cell phone practically every other week?

 

I hope you’re doing well. I always hate to think about you living alone down there in the old house. You know you could always come stay with me here in Kalamazoo if you wanted.

 

Love,

Sarah

November 17, 2009

          Sarah’s letter came in today. Good thing she finally has a phone that can text, I hate talking on the phone. Tho I wonder why she didn’t just call the house with her new number? Then again, Sarah is literal blonde. Love her, but she can be such a ditz.

 

 

November 18, 2009

          F**k, the spots are back. Took the camera out for some more nature shooting, ended up with ugly black splotches on some of the pictures that look like people. It’s f*****g creepy, like a man in a black f*****g suit. I’d take the damn thing apart myself but I’d just end up breaking it. I’d ask Sarah for the receipt if I actually thought she kept it. I need a new camera. They’re not very big splotches, but they’re f*****g up some perfectly good photos. The amateur photographer in me hates that.

 

 

 

Chris [8:54:32]: This is called an /IM/. It means Instant Message.

Sarah [8:54:51]: Hey, I know what an IM is

Sarah [8:55:09]: b/c I’m not a complete dumbass actually

Chris [8:55:17]: Just stay away from chatspeak and we’ll be cool.

Sarah [8:55:23]: wut do u mean chtspk?

Chris [8:55:25]: NO

Sarah [8:56:03]: You said you had a question for me

Sarah [8:56:14]: I have to get to work in a few so shot now or forever hold your peace

Sarah [8:56:16]: *shoot

Chris [8:56:23]: did you keep the recept for the camera?

Sarah [8:56:27]: No why?

Chris [8:56:32]: Didn’t think so

Chris [8:56:38]: I think it’s broken

Sarah [8:56:52]: Like how?

Chris [8:57:00]: It keeps leaving spots on my pictures

Sarah [8:57:06]: I can look for it

Sarah [8:57:15]: I’ll text you when I get home

November 19 2009

          I don’t have the extra cash to buy a new camera just yet, so I’m stuck with this. I’ve noticed the splotch is never there on pictures taken inside. I wonder if that’s a lighting thing? Does natural light bring out the splotch? What I wonder is

 

Let me check something.

 

Took a picture out the window just now. No splotch, which isn’t unusual. Since that first time only about a quarter of my pictures have splotches. Looking through them trying to find out if it’s a particular                 wait

This is weird. All the pictures with the splotches were taken from the same angle, looking at the same part of the forest.

 

That doesn’t make sense.

 

 

LATER�"took my camera back down there. Snapped some pictures of that same part of the forest. No splotches. Very weird.

 

 

EVEN LATER�"Been thinking about those splotches all day. Looks like a person. There was no one out there. I didn’t see anyone out there when I was shooting.

I swear to god if there was someone stalking me out there while I was taking pictures there’s gonna be hell to pay.

 

It’s very late. I’m going to bed now.

November 20 2009

That’s it. I’m going out there and I’m taking dad’s old pistol with me. Just in case. If it’s someone, then I’ll be looking this time and I’ll confront them. Dad always told me to solve my own problems.

 

 

LATER�"was out there for hours. Just taking pictures. Little before dusk, saw him. Standing way off towards the edge of the field. Too far away to make anything out, but I think it’s a he. I think he’s wearing a suit.

He didn’t do anything even when I yelled at him. Didn’t move. Just stared in my direction and that’s it.

 

He was very tall. And thin. He was he

 

At least I know my camera’s fine.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Had a dream last night dream about suit man in a suit very thin and long arms that just got longer and longer and

 

 

 

November 21 2009

I don’t even remember writing that. I guess I woke up sometime and scribbled that down while I was still half asleep? I don’t even know what I was talking about. If I had a dream, I don’t remember it now.

 

 

November 24 2009

He was in my yard yesterday. I saw him through the kitchen window. Right where the woods back up against the yard. Just standing there.

So tall and thin and

He did not move all day.

 

I decided not to take out the trash tonight.

 

 

 

November 25 2009

I I I

 

 

LATER�"he was outside my window. I stayed in the dark. I don’t know if he could see me. I had my camera, but it stayed off. I don’t think he likes pictures.

 

He moved from window to window. He is not hu

 

 

Eyes no no eyes long               long arms    long

He     there is

 

 

 

November 26 2009

I have a lot of homework to finish. It’s getting hard to concentrate. I’m running on almost no sleep at all right now. Where did I leave my phone?

 

 

 

Chris [3:32:07]: hi

Sarah [3:32:16]: Hi Chris! I’ve been wondering about you

Sarah [3:32:22]: I called you a few days ago but you didn’t answer

Chris [3:32:41]: yeah sorry, my phone was in my car

Chris [3:32:46]: took me a while to get up the courage to go get it

Sarah [3:32:49]: what?

Chris [3:34:02]: Do you think you could come down here and get me?

Sarah [3:34:13]: What? Why?

Sarah [3:35:19]: talk to me

Chris [3:35:33]: I don’t like the neighborhood anymore

Chris [3:35:37]: there’s

Chris [3:35:39]: something is

Chris [3:35:43]: How soon can you get here?

 

 

 

 

Amy,

Can’t make the dinner party Friday night, sorry! I’m flying down to Alton to get Chris. I’m worried about him, last time we talked he was acting very strange. He asked me to come and he seemed like he was in a hurry to get away. So I hope you can forgive me for leaving you hanging!

Sarah

November 27 2009

Lit homework. I’m not going to classes anymore. Why am I doing lit homework?

 

Emily Dickinson? We learned about her freshman year in high school. She wrote ‘A Narrow Fellow in the Grass’.

 

I don’t like that poem much.

 

It’s about a snake, but

 

 

LATER�"I’m writing    I                  he’s watching me I can’t see him but I know

 

 

“A narrow fellow in the grass occasionally rides�"you may have met him, did you not, his notice sudden is�"”

 

Tapping at the window makes it hard to concentrate.

 

 

 

 

LA

EVEN LATER�"he       hasn’t         stopped tapping            yet

It’s been hours I can’t sleep

 

 

narrow fellow at the window tapping narrow fellow narrow fellow narrow fellow narrow f**king fellow narrow fellow narrow fellow never leaves narrow fellow narrow fel

 

 

Sarah [9:29:12]: Are you packed?

Sarah [9:29:21]: I don’t know how long you’re staying with me.

Sarah [9:29:54]: Chris?

Chris [9:30:01]: i didnt get any sleep last night

Chris [9:30:04]: he just kept tapping

Sarah [9:30:08]: Who?

Chris [9:30:10]: the tall

Chris [9:30:14]: the narrow fellow

Sarah [9:30:18]: Chris, are you okay?

Chris [9:30:19]: no

Chris [9:30:22]: hes tapping at the window

Chris [9:30:23] : he has

Chris [9:30:25]: he has no face

Chris [9:30:26]: long

Chris [9:30:27]: arms and

Chris [9:30:28]: hands long fingers

Sarah [9:30:29]: Chris

Chris [9:30:29]: d****t he wont stop tapping

Sarah [9:30:30]: Stop

Chris [9:30:32]: taptaptap

Chris [9:30:34]: the window is rattling

Chris [9:30:37]: what time is it

Sarah [9:30:39]: 9:30

Chris [9:30:41]: am or pm

Sarah [9:30:44]: Chris, what’s wrong?

Chris [9:30:46]: its him hes

Chris [9:30:56]: sarah

Chris [9:30:58]: sarah

Sarah [9:31:00]: What?

Chris [9:31:02]: sarah i

Chris [9:31:04]: sarah hes in hes

Chris [9:31:05]: in

Chris [9:31:07]: in the kitchen i think

Chris [9:31:09]: long arms sarah

Sarah [9:31:13]: Chris you’re scaring me!

Chris [9:31:14]: hes

Chris [9:31:16]: hes coming hes

Chris [9:31:18]: why is he so fast

Sarah [9:31:20]: CHRIS STOP

Chris [9:31:23]: no no no

Chris [9:31:24]: sarah help

Chris [9:31:26]: please sarah

Chris [9:31:26]: hes

Chris [9:31:27]: e

 

 

 

 

 

 

From the Desk of Dr. Clayborn:

What follows is a transcript of my conversation with Sarah Davidson regarding psychiatric patient Chris Davidson, her brother. Interview began at 5:42 PM November 28, 2009.

 

 

Clayborn: And, tape recorder’s rolling. Ms. Davidson, describe what you saw when you arrived at your brother’s house in Alton.

 

Davidson: I was really jumpy after those texts he sent, but everything looked normal when I pulled up. The door was unlocked, which was weird for Chris, but I didn’t see anything all that out of the ordinary until I got into the living room. I think I missed him the first go-round, I wasn’t looking for [inaudible] corner. He was all scrunched up, knees against his chest, and he didn’t even look like he knew I was there. He was just [inaudible] muttering under his breath. I called and called but he didn’t look up. He looked straight ahead. I don’t think he saw me at all.

 

Clayborn: Muttering…what was he muttering, could you tell?

 

Davidson: (hesitant) …’Narrow fellow’. He was muttering ‘narrow fellow’ over and over.

 

Clayborn: Was anything else in the area disturbed?

 

Davidson: No, not that I could see. But there were a lot of photos lying around.

 

Clayborn: Photos?

 

Davidson: My brother’s an amateur photographer. He must have been taking shots of the woods. (here, she pulls out several of said photographs). See, aren’t they gorgeous?

 

Clayborn: He was quite talented, I see. They’d be perfect shots except for those smudges.

 

Davidson: Smudges?

 

Clayborn: Yes. See? That one there almost looks like a funny little man.