13 Comments
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Nick Winney's avatar

i never got to this one at the time...fell behind. glad it came into my sights though. very strange and intangible feel to it. really distinct atmosphere and creeping dread and mystery. i like how vague and uncertain everything is and the imagery of the broken wing is just superb.

very impressive to catch hold of so much weirdness when so little actually happens, when you break it down. good work!

Tate Ellis's avatar

Thanks so much, glad you found the time and enjoyed the visitations of a broken wing.

Evelyn K. Brunswick's avatar

This had me completely hooked, and in a very uncanny way, because I couldn't help visualising the boarding school I was sent to (where terrible things happened) - your descriptions of the playing fields with forests, for example, and the tunnels. Of course it also got me thinking of my Child Game Hunts story (yours is completely different, I hasten to add), especially in terms of the disjointed narrative and flashes of imagery, and the idea of children making up stories. The teacher/narrator is also a very dark character, what with his familiarity with the dormitories and his secret nightly excursions.

So all of this was seriously haunting. Especially because it was so brilliantly written. Echoes of M.R. James too in the atmospherics.

You really got me with this one.

Tate Ellis's avatar

Well, thanks so much. There’s some truths hidden in there for sure. A lot of truths. Uncanny your comments… I feel we walked similar paths. I found myself returning so many times in dreams to the fields and tunnels - one day it had to come out.

Best wishes.

TE

Shane Bzdok's avatar

Elegant and atmospheric prose about a not-so-elegant ghost. This was beautifully written, Tate. Awesome addition to the collection.

Tate Ellis's avatar

Flattery indeed, and much appreciated. My first longer piece here.

Hanna Delaney's avatar

I read your story aloud tonight. Brilliant. I enjoyed it so much. Hopefully I'll put a replay up but there'll be a lot of editing for my blunders between stories 😂

Tate Ellis's avatar

That’s great to hear - I haven’t been able to tune in but really impressed that you celebrate everyone’s work in such a selfless way. So if others haven’t said so: thankyou!

Edith Bow's avatar

"he moved like pixels fighting in the air, like a pre-migraine play of light, an arc of pain — and he was gone." hit me hard, love this story, I am cheating reading ahead of Vinny Reads. I could fall into this story, again and again.

Tate Ellis's avatar

Thanks, might be my fav. line.

Jay Myser's avatar

The cold damp eeriness of this seeped into me as I read it. Well done.

Tate Ellis's avatar

Much appreciated, thanks for taking the time to read through. Been enjoying the visuals you’ve shared.

Happy Nielsen's avatar

This had me hooked right from the beginning. I will be on the lookout for cursing ghosts..