The Old Lady and the Beast #99WordStories

66 Replies

This week at the Carrot Ranch, Charli Mills challenged writers to In 99 words (no more, no less), write a story about “the old lady and the beast.” What does age have to say about the story? Who is the beast and why? Go where the prompt leads!

This is my response. I hope you enjoy it.

The Old Woman and the Beast

Beyond the village, where trees grow thick and tall, lives an old woman in a tiny cottage. Self-sufficient with her gardens, chickens, and one milking goat, she rarely ventures far.

By day, she whistles as she works. When darkness falls, she locks the doors, bolts the windows and draws the curtains. Then the beast arrives, landing heavy-footed on the roof. Soon the monstrous grunting, growling, screeching and hissing begin. She covers her ears and rocks, humming calming songs without effect. Eventually, the beast retreats. The night grows quiet and still, and she sleeps, awakening at daybreak, another night survived.

…

This story was inspired by a cute Australian marsupial, a brushtail possum who just happened to be outside my window making the hairs on the back of my neck stand up as I read Charli’s prompt. I didn’t have to go far for inspiration.

While you can listen to a little of the brushtail possum’s repertoire in this video, it is only a fraction of what I heard.

Although they are totally harmless to humans, the sound can be terrifying, even when you know what it is. It sounds like the creature from the black lagoon standing at the door wanting blood. The first night I heard one, maybe almost thirty years ago, it totally unnerved me. I went from window to window trying to find out what was making the sound that seemed to envelop our house. I had no idea what it was. The next day, a little sheepishly, I phoned the museum and informed them that I’d heard noises I could not explain. The fellow said, “Did it sound like this?” and mimicked it exactly, though not quite as loudly. When he told me what it was, I was greatly relieved. Although they are not big creatures, they make a hell of a noise on a tin roof.

You can find out a little more about this very cute Australian in this video.

Thank you blog post

Thank you for reading. I appreciate your feedback. Please share your thoughts.

Note: The collection of stories made in response to the previous prompt Impossibly Blue, including mine, can be read at the Carrot Ranch.

66 thoughts on “The Old Lady and the Beast #99WordStories”

  1. Jules

    Oh… this reminds me of when I was younger and was the only one at ‘home’ in the trailer and apparently bees or wasps had nested in the ceiling vent… I hightailed it to the neighbors… The metal magnified the buzzing and it was terrifiying (espeicially to a child)!

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  2. calmkate

    lol you describe the terror they instill well.

    Living in Brisbane near the river I lived on possum highway, many would jump onto my roof and thump across off to find their supper, then back again to make sure I was awake. I used to try and advise them to join Jenny Craig as they sounded heavily over weight to me … they sure thud about!

    Those gutteral sounds terrify many. I remember a lass in NZ telling me she was too afraid to go to the toilet at night … a hostel type situation with a communal ablution block only a few meters from our rooms but with a very territorial possum hissing at her if she ventured out her door. Got her to knock on my door and had a tomato ready. Possum was so greedy she stopped hissing and bounced down to eat. The German lass thought it was so cute she was approaching to pat it. I duly warned her that was not a wise idea as wild animals will scratch or bite if approached.

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    1. Norah Post author

      I’m pleased my description rang true, Kate. While I smiled at your story of the NZ lass, I understand her terror. I didn’t even want to turn around to look, and I was safely inside. 🙂
      That was good advice you gave her.

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      1. calmkate

        One ventured into my bedroom at night – windows wouldn’t shut properly – and his claws in the carpet sounded like heavy steps. I leapt out of bed so fast I nearly trampled him. He flew into my bathroom and promptly shredded my shower curtain trying to escape. Had to disinfect the bathroom as he’d empty his bladder in the process … I have some funny stories about that house!

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        1. Norah Post author

          That is a funny story, Kate. It reminds me of the picture book Possum in the House by Kiersten Jensen. It’s very funny. There is also a Possum Goes to School by Melanie Carter along the same lines. It is also very funny. I’m sure you would have many funny stories from that share house. 🙂

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    1. Norah Post author

      I’m not sure of that, Nan. I haven’t heard it referred to as such, but it’s possible. They were introduced over there and have become quite a pest.

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      1. pedometergeek

        If it has soft fur, it probably is. They combine the possum’s fur with merino wool, I think it is, into a wonderful knitting wool, but they do call them speed bumps because they get killed all too often on the highways.

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  7. Mabel Kwong

    Wonderful short story, Norah. I could feel the woman’s frustration and fear as she tried to drown out the noise. Thanks for sharing with us possums and the sounds they make. They do make weird sounds, the kind of sounds you rather not hear at night especially coming from your roof! I’d imagine would be hard to sleep through such noise. I don’t usually have possums near my place but sometimes I think I do hear them around…wherever they may be in the bushes. Hope you are doing well and the cooler weather is treating you well, Norah 😊

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    1. Norah Post author

      Thank you for you lovely comment, Mabel. Possums are definitely unique in the sounds they make.
      It has only just started to cool here. I know you prefer the warmer weather. How is it down there for you?

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      1. Mabel Kwong

        Hopefully you don’t get woken up by possums again in the night, Norah. Great to hear it has started to cool for you. It has been warm the last couple of days but not expected to last. We did have a taste of winter the other day, which felt a bit too early 😄

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  8. Pingback: Old Lady & the Beast Collection « Carrot Ranch Literary Community

  19. robinettercleave

    Love your story and can completely relate to this. Being from Canada, we have NOTHING that I know of that sounds like that, so I, too, was terrified the first time I heard a possum. Another reason I can relate so well to your story is because it was probably the same possum! Sharing fence lines enabled us to share lots of things, right? 🙂

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