"This happened once / Before. So long ago. So long."
Apr 23, 2025
Image credit: Irina Karotkaya
Blackthorn
We have to work to keep a house this old
From falling down. It never ends, the work.
You measure it; the angles won’t add up.
It’s got a lean, as if it wants to slide
Right off the hill. A marble on the floor
Will roll straight from the back room to the front.
The water from the faucet tastes like stone.
It’s healthy for you, though. The paintings all
Have holly in them. Notice that? They do.
It’s sometimes just a tiny bit, some green
That lines the edge. It’s always there, you’ll see.
This island has a lot of foolish lore.
My family’s buried all around the place,
Beside the older ones who came before.
Mother’s in a dress that looks like this,
The one I’m wearing now. You like it, right?
It’s time for you to take your turn again.
Tonight, the tide is out, way out. The miles
Of mudflats love to swallow up the rain.
They’d suck you under if you dared to try
To walk across. The tar is fat. It breathes.
The house is never warm, even in summer.
Sometimes I say this chill is all they left.
You’ll stay the night. It’s fine. It really is.
I wouldn’t have it any other way.
We’ll have some wine. It’s good. We’ll play some more.
I’m really glad you like the game. We need
To keep it going. No, we never stop
The game. It’s always on. I don’t know why
We’d stop. It never ends. It’s just the game.
That’s all we know. It doesn’t have a name.
We couldn’t think of stopping now. What’s that?
It happened once before. We stopped. We won’t
Do that again. No. No, we’ll never do
A thing like that again. We like it here.
We’re glad you’ve joined. It’s true. We really are.
We wouldn’t want to let you go. You know,
We thought you’d never come, but there you are.
The game? The game’s gone on a long, long time.
We never thought of what would happen if . . .
If someone let it end. Without the game . . .
The bathroom? Yes. It’s on the second floor.
It’s on the right-hand side, the second door.
Be careful on the stairs. And remember,
Do not go in the first door that you see.
You know, I sometimes think every house
Must have some rules it calls its own. Or room
No one cares to enter anymore. It’s best
We keep it closed.
You’re back. Whatever could
Have taken you so long? Your turn. So, go.
Nrut ruoy nrut ruoy og won desolc ti peek ew.
What’s that? I said we keep it closed. Your turn.
Are you all right? You look at me like I’ve got
Eels coming out my ears! This happened once
Before. So long ago. So long. Your turn. Go on.
The house came down to me when I was eight.
The land descended on my father’s side.
My mother’s line had nearly died when she had me.
I stayed alone for years, with just an aunt
To keep me safe, but then the others came.
They’re really very good to have around.
You’re anxious, aren’t you? You shouldn’t be.
They’re not a lot of fun, but they can play.
I think the game is older than we know,
But nothing’s really new, or so I say.
Your turn again. I didn’t hear a thing.
I hear the rain. The thunder. But that’s all.
Oh, that, it’s just the house. It does these things.
This place is filled with useless things. It’s old
As wind my father used to say to me.
It makes its funny noises sometimes too.
It’s like I speak in tongues? You are a hoot!
You’re funny too, now, aren’t you? Yes, you are.
I love to hear the rain. It’s musical
To me. It makes me want to swim to shore.
A storm like this comes once a hundred years.
You can’t sit still. You have to go again?
It’s all this wine. I shouldn’t leave it out.
I used to look like you a bit, I think.
When I grew up, I wore my mother’s clothes.
They fit just fine. I mend them, keep them clean.
I found my mother’s puzzles in the attic.
I haven’t solved them all. They’re really odd.
This house can feel like it’s a puzzle too.
I’m safe inside. Without it I’d be lost.
We sometimes think we’re running out of time.
We say it runs. It does. It runs both ways,
My mother always said. It’s like a tide.
You’re hungry? We’ve got food, enough to last.
Not hungry? That’s okay. You may be soon.
Your turn. Please, let’s just really play the game.
I’m a nervous talker. You can tell, right?
It’s rude to use a phone while we’re all here.
We’ll find a way to get you home in time.
How long? No idea. You’re in a rush?
We’re miles from anyone. Or anything.
Trust me. You’ll never get a signal here.
I don’t know why you ask. We never stop
The game. The game was here before I came.
They taught me how to play when I was just
A girl, alone. It takes all of us to play.
We never thought of what would happen if
We let it end. Some thoughts are best unthought.
I know, I know, I’m talking all the time.
The bathroom’s on the second floor. Be quick.
We’ll wait. It’s on the right. You never go
Into a room you’re told you shouldn’t, right?
Oh, wait, I guess I told you all that. I did.
I think that every house must have
A room that no one enters anymore.
It’s best we keep it closed.
You certainly
Kept us waiting for you. Now go. Your turn.
You really ought to stay here with us now,
A while. Your turn again. The rest of us
Have waited just for this. You have to go.
I don’t know why you want to leave. Let’s go.
The game. It’s what we have. It’s your turn now.
Outstanding -- and creepy as all get out!