Monday, August 9, 2010

Tollhouse Cookies

When the dead boy moved in next door, I thought he was cute. He was only outside for a second before he ducked into the shadowed apartment. He kept the blinds down and the doors locked; we only heard him move around late at night. I took him some cookies that I made from a pre-packaged mix, but he didn't answer the door even though I waited forever. Dad said maybe he wanted to forget, or be forgotten, and that I shouldn't push. I didn't understand, really.

I still watch the window every day. I wonder if he watches, too?

2 comments:

Jim Murdoch said...

This reminded me of Robert Silverberg’s fine novella Born with the Dead about a man whose wife dies but is ‘rekindled’ and goes to live with the rest of the reborn dead in a ‘cold town’. The comparison with the Orpheus myth is an easy one to make but would Orpheus have been so keen to enter the world of the dead if he thought he might not get out?

Scattercat said...

Silverberg's never been a real favorite of mine, but I'm flattered by the comparison nonetheless. ;-) I've not read the novella in question, but it sounds interesting; I'll keep an eye out for it the next time I'm in a used-book store (what few remain). Any idea what the name of the book that contains the novella would be? Or was it published separately?

RE Orpheus - I always thought part of the reason Orpheus' quest was so foolhardy was because Hades was not known for allowing anyone or anything out of his realm when once it had entered...