March 30, 2023
Inspired by: West Rock with Branches by Valerie Hegarty, 2012
The burning wood crackled, breaking up the silence of the room. Maude looked at her father as he gave her mom the stink eye. Her father was always dressed in suits, his hair combed back, his beard and mustache neatly trimmed like a gentleman, but he never really acted like one, at least not to her mother. Maude’s mother dressed like a goddess with her flowy yellow dress and brunette curls to her shoulders, but she also had a very genuine and confident personality. Maude always admired her.
“ Maude, can you give me and your father alone time, sweetie?” Adaline asked trying not to worry Maude. Maude obeyed and headed out of the room, stopping behind the giant wooden door.
“You know what I said about this before, I do not like this behavior!” Leonard shouted smacking his hand against the table.
“What if Maude saw you doing–”
“What if she saw me doing, what? Leonard? I did nothing wrong! You destroyed the thing I cherished!” Adaline interrupted. Leonard’s square face gets extremely red, he can feel his blood pressure rising and he slaps Adaline across her face. Adaline touches her face. Maude gasps as she peeks through the crack.
“Do not interrupt me, Adaline! Do not disrespect me like that again! Do you understand?” Leonard shouts grabbing the cups and throwing them against the wall. Adaline is on the floor kneeling hiding her face under her arms. Leonard begins to walk away to the door and stops.
“This will not happen again. Do you understand?” He says as he walks out the wooden doors. Maude comes rushing in for her mother.
“It’s okay mommy,” Maude says as Adaline realizes she saw everything. She hugs Maude and gently pets her hair.
“I am alright, sweetie. Everything will be okay,” Adaline smiles.
“I have you–” she continues and kisses Maude’s round cheeks as she giggles.
“Come with me.” Adaline reaches for Maude’s hand. They sneakily rush through the halls of their big house. Running past all the windows and their library, they finally got to the back glass door leading to the garden. Sliding the glass door, they feel the cold and mushy grass against their bare feet as they make their way to the orchards of a variety of fruit. As they rush behind the apple tree mud splashing everywhere, they can see a small building surrounded by a garden, bordered by white fences and vines. Adaline leads Maude to the front door and unlocks the door. She gestures for Maude to enter first. Maude was surprised and filled with excitement.
Inside there were trials of different flowers and plants. There were butterflies in all sorts of colors, flying all over the room. There were treasures and trinkets all over the tables from Adaline’s family. There was a medium-sized chest filled with jewels and crystals, a journal from Adaline’s grandmother from her adventures of a variety of destinations, and Adaline’s Mother’s golden compass. Examining all the treasures, Maude spots a room with the door open. Maude enters the room and sees a big painting. It was shaking slightly as she unwillingly went closer. The painting was a lake with a green landscape and forest in front of it. It had a big blue sky and fluffy white clouds scattered through the sky with some black ashy parts from the areas it was burned from. There was a gold frame surrounding the painting, holes scattered on the corners, the paint was peeling off the bottom with brunt marks scattered through the painting.
“It’s beautiful isn’t it?” Adaline says smiling and walking closer to her daughter. Maude was puzzled as the once beautiful painting was now destroyed.
“What happened to it?” Maude questioned.
“It has been a painting in our family for generations,” Adaline says continuing to stare at the painting.
“Your father never….approved of this painting or any painting in fact. He thought it was a waste of time. I wish I can give you a better life, Maude.”
“It almost looks like it's growi–” Maude responds looking at her mother. The painting starts to shake and the painting starts to get blurry. The bottom of the painting starts growing into branches getting longer and longer. It starts to wrap itself around Adaline and Maude. The branches pull them in and they go through the painting.
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