https://girlieontheedge1.wordpress.com/2026/02/25/its-thursdays-six-sentence-story-blog-hop-60/
~♥~
Judd squinted into the woodsy shadows for some hint of an entrance to Birchwick Cliff–his wife Lorelei sat beside him, quiet as they approached the mysterious myth-bound town; she bent forward suddenly: “there, Judd–that’s the massive wrought iron gate Richard described, it really does look formidable”; he murmured, “yes”, unwilling to admit he was spooked–he couldn’t tell if it was locked, hoped so…then he could head back to the highway with no apology.
Lorelei was the brave one, brimming with enthusiasm on this adventure; she was getting out of the car when Judd grabbed her arm protectively–she grinned and shook him off– “I’m going to see if it’s open and we can drive through”.
He watched her, breath held as though on a stakeout; she had pushed inside, entered the creepy place…and his stomach rolled with nausea; she stuck her hand back out, beckoned him to join her.
Cracking his door a few inches, he said, “just tell me what you see, Love” (he was kicking himself for not calling Richard to ask him to meet them here ‘for a tour’…the sensible thing to do).
She walked back to the car and leaned against it, her face flushed with excitement as she offered intel: “there are 2 signs just past the gate, one says ‘BEWARE’, and underneath, ‘Pandora’s Jar’…and it has little painted fruits on it; I think it might be a garden shop–maybe they sell jams and preserves made by women who live here.”
Judd’s mind veered in a different direction: from what Lorelei had read to him from Richard’s book, anything they were selling contained a risk of poisoning; death permeated ‘the Cliff’s’ history–suicides and murder (and somewhere, he’d heard the youngsters had all vanished)–his late Grandma’s admonitions to resist curiosity echoed within him:
“beware–don’t open Pandora’s Jar”).
~ Cale
Poetry ~ Cabbage After Christmas 