The Silence That Waited

The door sagged open slow, and the air met him cold, still, thick, as if it had been holding its breath too long.

The chair by the fire. His father there. Tilted head. The book fallen, pages whispering dry like dead leaves.

“Dad—?” but the word cracked small, no echo.

He stepped. The floor groaned, but his father did not. Fire half-dead, red eyes blinking slow in the grate. Shadows longer than they had any right to be.

He touched the shoulder. Cold. Not sleeping cold, not “let him rest” cold. The other kind. The forever kind.

The hand limp, stone already. He felt it run up his arm, into his chest. Hollowed him.

The house leaned closer then. Beams, walls, all listening, waiting, crowding in with the silence. That smell—ash, iron, damp wood. And beneath it, something older, sour, like the ground opened a little beneath the floorboards.

Outside the window, the crow flung itself into the gray sky, ragged wings beating, caw tearing the air. He thought: it knows. It knows.

On his knees then, clutching at the hand, at the shell, at the shape that once filled the rooms with voice and laughter and noise. But this wasn’t him. Just husk, just vessel, just house after the tenant fled.

He wanted to shake it, call it back, bargain. But knew—knew in marrow and blood, in the hollows of his teeth—that it was no use.

The silence heavy. A silence that wasn’t empty but full, crowded with something vast and unseen.

And the thought—so sudden it staggered him—someday me. Me in this chair, still, cold, house breathing over me.

The fire spat once, a hiss, then sank to red ash.

He knelt there, boy no longer, not yet man, eyes full of the long silence. Changed forever.

*****

And, you know I would never leave you while neglecting the obligatory shameless self-promotion. New Yesterdays is available through the following links: Books-A-MillionBarnes & Noble, and Amazon as well as your favorite bookshops. The Audiobook is available from Libro.fm, as well as Amazon.

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About Ol' Big Jim

Jim L. Wright is a storyteller with a lifetime of experiences as colorful as the characters he creates. Born and raised in Piedmont, Alabama, Jim’s connection to the land, history, and people of the region runs deep. His debut novel New Yesterdays is set in his hometown, where he grew up listening to stories of the past—stories that sparked his imagination and curiosity for history. Today, Jim lives in Leeds, Alabama, with his husband Zeek, a tour operator who shares his passion for adventure and discovery. Known affectionately as “Ol’ Big Jim,” he has had a diverse career that includes time as a storekeeper, an embalmer, a hospital orderly, and a medical coder. There are even whispers—unconfirmed, of course—that he once played piano in a house of ill repute. No matter the job, one thing has remained constant: Jim is a teller of tales. His stories—sometimes humorous, sometimes thought-provoking—are often inspired by his unique life experiences. Many of these tales can be found on his popular blog, Ol’ Big Jim, where he continues to share his musings with a loyal readership. Jim’s adventures have taken him far beyond Alabama. For seven years, he lived in Amman, Jordan, the world’s oldest continuously inhabited city. His time there, spent in smoky coffee shops, enjoying a hookah and a cup of tea while scribbling in his ever-present notebook, deeply influenced his worldview and his writing. When Jim isn’t writing, he’s thinking about writing. His stories, whether tall tales from his past or imaginative reimagining is of historical events should read from his past or imaginative reimaginings of historical events, reflect a life lived fully and authentically. With New Yesterdays, Jim brings readers a rich tapestry of history, fantasy, and human connection. Visit his blog at www.olbigjim.com to read more of his stories, or follow him on social media to keep up with his latest musings and projects, one of which is a series that follows Bonita McCauley, an amateur detective who gets into some very sticky situations. His book, New Yesterdays, can be found at Amazon US, Amazon UK, Smashwords, and Barnes and Noble.
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7 Responses to The Silence That Waited

  1. Darryl B's avatar Darryl B says:

    Wow, that’s really good writing, Ol’ Big Jim. Truly. So evocative… the smell of ash, iron, damp wood… the crow… the realization.

    I bought your book; now that everything is behind us, I’m looking forward to delving into it 😎

    Liked by 1 person

  2. Excellent , Jim. Could almost feel the coldness of the old man.The forever kind (brilliant)

    Liked by 1 person

  3. Fascinating story, Jim, poignant that his dad would be forever cold.

    Liked by 1 person

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