I was sent this short story by my cousin Fay who is the author. 14 Lewis Road was our grandmother's house so not only did this story bring back some wonderful memories of both my childhood and my grandmother but it is anexceptionally captivating story. The author 'Fay Clement' is one of the most wonderful people I have ever had the pleasure to be associated with. She is warm, kind, welcoming and is one of those people who always makes you feel good about yourself. I feel so lucky to have her as my cousin and over the years there has been many times when I have needed her support and it has been there without question and with love.
I was so taken with this short story that I wanted to share it with everyone who visits Spirit Walker and who reads my blog and I hope you all enjoy it just as much as I did.
14 Lewis Road
By Fay Clement‘Oh Vi, I can’t believe you’re going away on a murder mystery weekend with Frankie
Nesbitt and the jet set crowd, you can do so much better he’s such a conceited, womaniser...’
Violet put her hand gently to Lynda’s mouth, ‘Don’t worry about me Lynda, he’s just a bit of fun, I have no illusions about Frankie believe me...but I could do with a weekend away, it’s almost as if something’s telling me to go I feel...’
Before Violet could finish, a loud novelty horn sounded outside from a speeding
M G Sports car. ‘Hey Vi are you ready babe!’ called Frankie sounding his horn again.
‘Oh my God Vi...his jet black... greased back flicked up fringe would frighten the
bluebirds away and those sun glasses in February? And you with your natural blonde waves and cheek bones to die for what are you…’
Violet just placed a kiss on Lynda’s cheek. Then she leaped into the red ‘hansom
cab’ and waved to her hesitant friend while Frankie gave one more honk of the
They soon discovered that the directions Frankie had been given by the party host
were confusing. For an age it felt as though they’d been going around in circles, twisting and turning through green country lanes, each one a duplicate of the other. ’Don’t drive so fast Frankie please its making me feel sick,’ said Violet in the end.
‘Look I’ll do the driving thanks; these lanes have got to end somewhere and the quicker we get there the better.’
Violet crossed her arms in front of her face, the very same instant Frankie cried
‘Hey...damn...hey man what’s going on...the car it’s taking off on its own..,’
Frankie cried.
He’d taken his foot off the throttle but the speedometer said they were still accelerating... seventy, eighty ninety...In desperation Frankie pulled the keys from the ignition, but it made no difference. The car hurtled around the lanes at breakneck speed, tearing low hung branches from unsuspecting trees.
Finally they came to an abrupt whiplashing halt. ‘Bloody hell...I thought she’d
had it then girl... where the hell are we anyway?’
‘My god, Frankie is that all you can think about is this stupid bloody car we could
have been killed’
Frankie ignored Violet. Instead he clambered out to inspect any damage to his
precious car. He yanked open the bonnet and groaned. Violet got out too, wiped her wet cheeks with a paisley handkerchief, and then looked about. Without knowing why, she instinctively felt that the place was familiar. ‘Come on,’ she said, taking charge. She led Frankie in the direction she knew was right, without knowing
footsore and tired they trailed into a nearby town where a man in old style clothes seemed to have been waiting to direct them to a nearby garage, and Violet to take rest at number 14 Lewis Road.
‘My God what is this place? It hasn't moved on from the war don't they know it's nineteen sixty three?’ said Frankie.
‘Oh behave, I think it's really sweet I’m going to knock on that door there like the
man said, see if I can use a phone or something, look they must be in because the front door is open baring an inner glass door, that's a sign you know...if they were out the big main front door would be closed’
‘What the hell are you talking about? Anyways that’s a good idea I’ll see to my baby
here and you... um ...yeah...you just go and brush up or whatever you women do...I’ll call for you in an hour or so, find out exactly where we are and all’
Violet knocked gently on the lacy etched glass inner door which bowed slightly
with each hesitant touch.
She waited...when no one answered; she nervously opened the door which displayed the
timeless neat hallway. She inched her way slowly in with every intention to call out, instead she was mesmerised by the familiar cold clean smell.
The hallway was long and narrow, there was a Barometer hanging proudly with its worn
edges and cedar scent, she noticed the needle pointed to, ‘Change.’
As she glanced at the barometer she was aware of someone’s shadow passing her ‘Oh
I'm so sorry do forgive...’ There was no one.
The distant sound of children playing comforted her for a few minutes. Their sound
disappeared and an elderly woman opened the parlour door...she wore a flowered pinafore that crossed over on her full chest, hiding the illusion of separate breasts, her hair was greying and pinned up neatly in a bun, her face seemed kind and heavily powdered.
‘Oh, there you are my dear... Violet it is... yes... we've been expecting you... come
in ‘cariad’ you must be frozen and they say it's going to snow...come by the fire ‘cariad’ and warm yourself I'll just make some tea and then we can have a nice chat.’
’Oh no, really I don't expect... I hope I’m not intruding but the man at the bottom
of the road pointed out your house...just for me to use a phone and maybe...’
‘A phone...do you mean telephone...oh dear me no I’m afraid you won’t find one of
them in this street my lovely Now... you look shattered...you’ve had a long journey I’m just going to make that tea’
Without even learning her name she left the room.
As she opened the door to the middle room the aura travelled into the parlour.
There was a faint tolerable smell of gas as she had so obviously opened the pantry, where the best china was kept. The fragrance of hot starch from clean linen seemed to flow in and out of the room with the aromatic scent of coal burning on the fire.
The parlour was also warm and orderly. Violet moved further in to look at the photographs that were befitted to stand proudly on the grand oak sideboard.
The winged ornately crafted sides cradled the middle section.
A photograph of a man sitting on the bonnet of an old fashioned car, blonde hair
tousled with the wind blowing through...in front of him a picnic table and on it a milk jug.. he was smiling ...so happy,
Violet's heart missed a beat at the sight of him she imagined being in his arms
brushing his lips with hers tentatively and found herself pining for him...
She immediately grounded herself, mindful that Frankie was a
‘settled upon boyfriend’ who cared more for his car, which had just nearly killed them both. She put her thoughts down to pure escapism of course... all that and her being a true romantic at heart...The sounding of a siren... louder and louder again and again....
‘Won't be long now Arthur’ said the woman.
...The tray of tea clattered as the woman struggled to open the heavy door with
her foot...Violet looked to who was being addressed as ....Arthur?
Violet moved back startled... she hadn't seen him sitting there.
He wasn't there before... he definitely wasn't there before...
Of course he must have been...
Oh God had he seen her kissing and caressing the man in the photo...Of course not...
Get a bloody grip girl!‘Oh please let me help you’ Violet
shouted above the rantings of her own mind
Cradled in the ruby rolled armchair was a thin skeletal sharp featured grey haired man...
He was covered by a paper like white winged collared shirt... top buttons undone to
be casual and baggy grey flannel trouser with turn ups held with braces to help defy gravity.
His long thin fingers shelved a pipe that may or may not as the case was, hold tobacco at some time. Only his eyes looked up to acknowledge their presence... he spoke with the pipe like a horse's bit between his teeth.
‘It is time Lil, you're right enough...ay ay it is time....good thing too...ay ay
good thing too’
‘What is a good thing?’ said Violet
‘Why seeing you again my lovely... seeing you of course’ Lil poured out three cups of
tea, bone china cups and saucers of course.
‘There you are just as you like it’ and she handed the tea to Violet.
Violet quickly put down the cup and saucer hastily shaking with eagerness to
ask...
‘Lil...it is Lil isn’t it? Do you know me... have you seen me before...how do
you know my name? the place did seem familiar to me I said that to Frankie...I didn’t tell the man my name...this is 14 Lewis Rd like he said isn’t it, he said knock on the door of 14 Lewis Rd?’
‘Shush now ‘cariad’, shush now we'll talk about it all in a while ...you just drink your tea and I will have a surprise for you...a nice surprise so don't worry’
Violet became nervous and made her excuses to go outside, see if Frankie had
managed to tear himself away from his car. It was dark in the hallway...the main front door was shut tight... the etched glass inner door opened she sighed with relief thinking herself over re acting... but the main door was stuck fast
‘Don’t fret Arthur’ said Lil. ‘She can’t and won’t leave now she wants this as
much as any of us...she’s lost her way, she’s travelled a long time.
It will all come to her now soon and all will be well...you’ll see. Our job will be
done.’
‘Ay ay it will be a good thing Lil, they’ve waited time enough’ said Arthur as he
secured his pipe with his teeth.
‘Hello... hello... Lil... Arthur...it's the door I can't open it.’
Lil appeared from the parlour and re assured her it was probably the wind. She
consoled her fear with a soft arm... Violet could smell buttermilk and fresh grass from the picnic in the photograph and was soothed.
The siren sounded again... louder and louder
‘What is that noise where is it coming from?’ the tea cup spilt over Violet ... tea
leaves staining her dress.
‘Oh my lovely girl... come with me and I will swill out your dress for you’
‘Oh no really I'll be fine’
Arthur tipped up his pipe in support and Violet followed Lil up the stairs
‘Now you come with me, you can change into something more suitable’
‘Is the lace gown here for me?’ Violet asked Lil...
Puzzled at how the familiar vision of the dress had got into her mind.
‘I'll run you a bath cariad... you'll feel more yourself after travelling such a long time’
Violet by this time was in a
comfortable daze...the bath was cold clean and white with marks where water had continually dropped over the years. The water ran from the taps like a loud chorus deepening and warming as she emerged herself.She could smell Rose flakes... her favourite.
The towel was starched and white invigorating every pore of her skin.
Her bedroom door was open ready and she glided through draped in the cream lace nightgown that folded and fell off every curve covering her naked body. She held the lavender embossed hand mirror and came across her reflection...she knew who she was at last.
She waited patiently as she heard his footsteps, her heart beating like a drum
within her mind and she ached, longing for him.
The door opened slowly... and they embraced eternity.
2pm...
Lil wiped the photo upon the sideboard with her flowered pinafore it showed Violet
at his side smiling... happy...
Though lovers be lost... love shall not
And death shall have no dominion.
3pm...
‘Excuse me my name is Frankie Nesbitt... I know this may sound a little crazy’
He adjusted his collar nervously as no respected mod could be seen to loose face
over some dumb woman according to Frankie.
‘But three hours ago... I dropped my girl off and she went into 14 Lewis Rd ...um...in that time the house seems to have disappeared.... oh hang on...oh sorry I can see now this is Lewis Place... women eh?... you couldn't tell me how to get back to 14 Lewis Rd can you mate? I'm a bit late...not that I'm ruled by her of course... the old M G there got into a spot of bother and I had to get her seen to.’
The noise of diggers, shovels and drills had been halted with a deafening silence,
an ambulance slowly pulled up to an area that had been cordoned off.
‘You're about twenty years too late for 14 Lewis Rd my friend...
they were demolished years ago...
these here are new houses being built...
strange you should ask that though a body has just been found...
about an hour ago now...
can’t be your girlfriend though so don't worry...
they say this it was years old...
they are saying it's a skeleton of a young woman... bloody eerie... they said when
they found it... the skeleton was covered in a lace...
looked like a dress they said... she was probably killed in the bombing along
with loads of others in the row... must have been down there for years ...
poor cow... still she can be laid to rest in peace now...’
And Death Shall Have No Dominion...by Dylan Thomas 1933...
‘I roam no more amongst dust and stone.
As the Nightingale sings and the Eagle flies in the Highlands
I am found.
I was of the petals that closed in the dark
To be opened by the searching light,
I roam no more amongst dust and stone
I am found.’
Lewis Road and the Uptown Finale
By
Fay Clement
Soap scrubbed doorsteps, front doors open
To cherry cheek dogs with pink curls
And dogs that barked at the boys
Running with grass stained knees chasing girls.
‘How are you Lil?’
‘Very good Ada thank you ‘
Whistling kettles and sweet smelling washing,
Baked apples and cinnamon.
Lux licked faces and rollered hair
For the uptown finale who’s who will be there
To say ‘Hello Mrs Rouse how are you? ‘
Lulu at side in ribbons and bows
Mitzi with the boys, not posh to go
To the uptown finale.
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