Soul Eaters

This piece was inspired by Chapter 14: An Honest Tradesman from Charles Dickens book, a Tale of Two Cities.

I climb up the stone walls late at night and search for your grave. No stone has yet marked your territory and the scent of musk rises from the freshly tilled soil. My trembling hands grip the rusted shovel I bring and I begin to dig, wanting to finish this burden before morning rises. The cold, crisp air chills me to my core. It is too quiet; all I hear is the chunking of my shovel on the soil. Your image plays in my mind, dear boy, back to that frightful night.

Dear boy, a killer saunters towards me. Who’s shining eyes glint with my same shade of blue? What forsaken moments did I waste that you have come to this? What warmth do I see? Whose young eyes once cast on butterflies with such curiosity? What warmth? There was none. My dear boy, a killer, come to slay the fruit he came from. Such cruelty stabs a mother’s heart. Death’s shroud land on my dear boy, a killer, my son who lies beneath this soil, his unwell mind lain to rest.

The cord that binds our blood cannot be broken till I see with my eyes your peaceful slumber on your satin bed. For fear for my own soul has taken over a mother’s love. Fear that you will one day come to take my life. Dear boy, your mind was unwell and your soul was eaten away.

My shovel hits the roof of your coffin and in moments I am able to lift the lid. I see you there, immobile, peaceful, dreaming in your unending slumber. Your mind is well at last though guilt washes through me for your blood is on my hands.

Such beauty lies on the face of my son. If only warmth ran through him once more. I lay on the glass, over my dear boy. Such closeness binds our cord once more. Sleep, dear boy, while I sing:

Moon shivers, light glimmers

Over the river Styx

Past the guards and past the eyes

Of those soul eaters

We ride.

 

The next morning a woman’s corpse was found on her son’s coffin in his open grave. The woman was rumored to have lost her mind after her unwell son tried to kill her, and she had killed him in the process of defending herself. And when they found the woman, her hands over her son’s heart, a smile on her lips.

Reviews

[TJ]

This was a very intriguing piece of flash fiction. I liked how you used the present tense until the end which read like a newspaper article..very cool. I also liked the slow reveal of the story until it was tied together wonderfully! The only problem I could see idls that there were spots when it didn't flow particularly well. But all in all I liked it

[Ronn Michael Salinas]

i firmly disagree with this, though I must say it deserves more than bronze.

[Coyote Poetry]

I like the story. You create a mystery and very strong storyline. Always a good story with death of a child and a mother. I like the history in the story and the ending.
"And when they found the woman, her hands over her son’s heart, a smile on her lips."
A outstanding story.
Coyote

[clairvoyantmars]

charles dickens' A Tale of Two Cities is what we discussed about in english class. and this chapter where Jerry cruncher is revealed to be an undertaker inspired me to write this.