Gillowbugs & Daisy Tales: January 2016

Clabber

Image Credit: Not Known

by Miriam E. Waters

The taste of sour milk, clabber, lingered in her mouth. The pain was constant and wouldn’t leave her body. She’d been awake since hours before dawn. Again. Will this nightmare never end?

Michael had said he’d not be back. The storms, you know. They had escalated and intensified since she saw him, Tuesday last.

The incessant noise was driving him mad, rather quickly, she believed. He’d described the sound to her. Biting. Buzzing. Constant. Very much like the endless droning of a cicada on a hot summer’s day. And loud, don’t forget loud.

The doctors could find nothing wrong with him. “It’s in your head,” they told him.

Well, of course it’s in his head. Where else would sounds be found?

“There’s nothing wrong with you,” they assured him.

If this were Michael with “nothing wrong,” how would he be when the doctors finally agreed he had a problem that needed to be addressed?

Marie threw off the coverlet and smoothed away the wrinkles that had taken up residence in her clothes. It was time for action, time to rid herself of the demons. But, how?

Warm milk and honey. Add a touch of cinnamon and nutmeg to mask the flavor of the illicit component and lend a spark to the concoction. Start there. It’s as good a beginning to an end as any. It will cleanse the damnable clabber from my mouth and end this insufferable agony for good.

Marie’s movements were ingrained in her muscles’ memory. She had performed the ritual of warming milk so many times it was almost ceremonial. She relaxed as the first drops of the corrupted elixir kissed her tongue. Soon, soon. I’ll be rid of the taste, the pain, and all thoughts of Michael.

An insistent pounding on the door shook the glass in its panes.

Marie set her mug on the corner of the table and rushed to unbar the door. Michael blew in like a storm coming off the roiling ocean.

His arms were wrapped about his head, attempting to block the buzzing from his ears. His eyes were wild from the constant torment. He looked at Marie and begged in his quietest voice, “End it.”

Marie vibrated with fear as she shook her head to deny his request.

“End it,” he repeated.

In two long strides he reached the cupboard. He opened the doors and rummaged until his hand touched metal. Michael pulled the gun from the cupboard and forced it into Marie’s quaking hands.

“End it, now,” he begged.

A sigh and then Marie gave a slow nod in silent acquiescence. She lifted the weapon and looked deep into Michael’s eyes. She bid him “Goodbye.” A gentle squeeze ended the madness.

Image Credit: yonkerstribune.com

"Today's [January 23, 2016] Featured Article

The December 1969 nor'easter was an intense winter storm that most notably impacted the Northeastern United States and southern Quebec on December 25–28. The multi-faceted storm system was blamed for at least 20 deaths in the United States and 15 in Canada. After developing over Texas and spawning several damaging tornadoes in the Deep South, the cyclone advanced to the Eastern Seaboard, dropping more than 1 ft (30 cm) of snow as far south as Washington, D.C. The nor'easter intensified and slowed as it moved into New England, delivering 40 inches (100 cm) of snowfall in some places, with heavy rain near the coast and a severe ice storm in Vermont and New Hampshire. In Canada, Montreal received 27.5 in (70 cm) of snow over a period of 60 hours. Equipment failures and drifts up to 30 ft (9 m) left roadways blocked for many days throughout the affected region, and some communities became inaccessible except by snowmobile. The weight of the snow and ice, combined with gale-force winds, collapsed roofs and brought down power lines. Ice jams and excessive rainfall created widespread flooding in eastern New England. (Full article...)"

Source: en.m.wikipedia.org