Anne Coombes Blog

My own personal 3-Word Challenge tiny tale (set by AI at random):

LANTERN – WHISPER – MIDNIGHT

At midnight it was pitch black in Pru’s garden, so much so that you could not see your hand in front of your face.

There were no sounds, not even the usual owl hooting in the adjacent woodland.

“That’s odd” thought Pru when she realised how quiet it was.

However, because it was so quiet, Pru was sure she had heard a whisper from outside her living room window. Like someone saying her name.

The whole atmosphere made her have goosebumps and she felt not a little afraid, being on her own. She didn’t quite know what to do.

Did she ignore it, or did she light her lantern and go check outside herself before she went into full panic mode?

She thought for a while and decided that option two would be what she would do.

She found the lantern, made sure it had enough paraffin in it and lit it with a match, making sure the cover was securely down in case the wind should blow it out, and turned it to full light.

She slipped on her coat and outside shoes, opened the front door and stepped out into the pitch black, lantern in hand.

She was never seen again.

— Anne Coombes