Like us on Facebook
The next photo is the PROMPT. Remember, all photos are property of the photographer, donated for use in Friday Fictioneers only. They shouldn’t be used for any other purpose without express permission. It is proper etiquette to give the contributor credit.
PHOTO PROMPT © Ted Strutz
CLICK THE FROG TO JOIN THE FUN
Genre: Speculative Fiction
Word Count: 100
VISITANT
Lucinda rocked her son. “I should go downstairs and help Marion with breakfast.
She listened to the clatter of pots and pans and hugged the baby. “How clever of your auntie to open our home to boarders when your papa didn’t return from the war.”
A nightgown-clad child with huge brown eyes stood in the doorway. “Who are you?”
“The lady of the house. Who are you?”
“Lucinda, after my great-great grandmother.”
***
Lucinda pointed to a tintype of a woman with huge dark eyes. “I met her this morning.”
“Nonsense,” said Mom. “She died in childbirth a hundred years ago.
Rochelle Wisoff-Fields-Addicted to Purple 
Ooh, lovely and spooky! I got chills 👀
LikeLiked by 2 people
Dear Trish,
Your chills make me smile. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
Is she really sure Lucinda’s a corporeal being?
LikeLiked by 2 people
Dear Neil,
Which she? Which Lucinda?
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
This looks like the type of old house that would harbor ghosts. Good story and writing, Rochelle. 🙂 — Suzanne
LikeLiked by 2 people
Dear Suzanne,
It does have that haunted feel, doesn’t it? Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
Funny how so many already have gone ghostly. This is a spine-chiller for sure.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Sandra,
That house just has that feel, doesn’t it. Out of my comfort zone but I had to go there. 😉 Than you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
Dear Rochelle,
Ooooh… Love it! Perfect house for a ghost story (so, of course, I shall have to think of something else 😉 )
Shalom and lotsa non-spooky love,
Dale
LikeLiked by 2 people
Dear Dale,
I almost feel unoriginal. However, it’s the my story and I’m sticking to it. 😉 I’m sure whatever you come up with will be stellar. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
Bite your tongue! I’m almost done, believe it or not! 😉
LikeLiked by 2 people
Ith hawd to thalk bithing my thongue.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Good… stop you from spouting nonsense.
LikeLiked by 1 person
🤣💜🖖🏻😎
LikeLiked by 1 person
This house begs for a ghost story. I like the tone to this story, has a friendly ghost to feel. Great twist.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Dear Tanille,
I’m not one of those Nightmare on Elm Street kind of people. 😉 I grew up on Casper. So my ghosts are friendly. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
It amuses me you wrote that because I was thinking of A Nightmare on Elm Street when I wrote mine and compared yours when reading 😀. I was watching ANOES thing on YouTube before the prompt arrived hehe. Casper is great.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Remarkable fit for the prompt, Rochelle.
I enjoyed it, even though speculative fiction is not in my wheel house. Well done.
Peace,
Bill
LikeLiked by 2 people
Dear Bill,
Speculative fiction isn’t usually my thing either. Every once in a while I have to step out of my comfort zone into the Twilight Zone. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
Did you ever see the Nicole Kidman film “The Others”? Not many ghost stories writen from a ghost who does not know they are a ghost’s POV. Great story.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Dear Trent,
I never saw the Nicole Kidman movie but I did see “The Sixth Sense” that played that theme on steroids. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
I saw The Sixth Sense as well, but found The Others much scarier…
LikeLiked by 1 person
I didn’t find The Sixth Sense particularly frightening but that Aha moment at the end did get me.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Yes, the whole thing was about when the pieces of the puzzle fit together. The Others was like that as well, but it was super creepy.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I do believe this story could be entirely true because I talk to my grandfather and he died in 1944 🙂 Didn’t give me any chills, did give me smiles and a warm-heart feeling ♥
LikeLiked by 2 people
Dear Joy,
Your comment makes me happy. I don’t think Grandma Lucinda was at all frightening to her namesake. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
This can happen! I believe, Rochelle!
Good one.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you, Anita. 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
This is so very reminiscent of our family farmhouse built by my Great Grandfather in1901. It was built solidly and is still lived in by a family member. Stories have been told by some they thought it was haunted and sometimes I felt a presence either in an upstairs room or looking out from an upstairs room. But I always thought it was a friendly ghost watching out for us. The house has always been lived in by family. Great story.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Dear Jan,
When Ted sent the picture I thought of the farm house, too. One has to wonder if some of the Fields ghosts are hovering there. I always enjoyed our visits. So the ghosts must be friendly. 😉 Thanks m’luv.
LikeLiked by 1 person
A lovely story, Rochelle, and really well told. A subtle ghost story!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Dear Penny,
I’ve missed you lately. So happy to see you here and glad you enjoyed my story. Out of my comfort zone so I’m happy it worked. Thank you for a lovely comment.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
A spooky one this time – I believe in ghosts and love such stories.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Dear Liz,
Out of my comfort zone into the Twilight Zone. 😉
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
The title here is so important. I love the way you twined the generations together. A satisfying goose-bumpy tale 🙂
LikeLiked by 2 people
Dear Linda,
I’m so happy you picked up on the title. A former fictioneer and good friend once quipped ‘a good title adds another 100 words.’ Thank you for your affirming comments.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
I have to echo Trent on this one. It reminded me right away of The Others. It’s better than “The Sixth Sense.” I don’t like supernatural anything or horror movies (It’s more thriller than horror.), unless it comes with a good story. I thought it was a brilliant movie. It’s definitely worth a watch. The comparison is a compliment.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Dear Nobbin,
Hm. I might have to check out The Others. Thank you for the comparison.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
Your story made seeing ancestral namesakes seem perfectly normal … and harmless, thank goodness! Loved it. 😀
LikeLiked by 2 people
Dear Dora,
Thank you for a lovely and affirming comment/compliment. 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
Lovely … and spooky … Such an evocative story of an evocative photo …
Left mine with the froggy, with a different kind of ‘ghosts of time passed’…
Na’ama
LikeLiked by 2 people
Na’ama Y’karah,
As I’ve said before, out of my comfort zone and into the Twilight Zone. 😉 The house just seemed to beg for it. But I’m not into horror either. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
🙂 yeah, I hear ya … 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m confused 🤔. If Lucinda was rocking her son (the baby), how did she have a great grand daughter?
LikeLiked by 2 people
Dear Bernadette,
Sorry if that’s confusing. The older Lucinda rocking her baby is a ghost, but she doesn’t realize it. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
Got it! 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
Goose bumps!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you, Danny.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
As always, Rochelle, yours is the first story I read. You did capture the mood of the photo, and a nice start to a longer story I think. I will have to tell the FFGang about this house.
LikeLiked by 3 people
It was my great-great-grandmothers afterall.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Let me guess…. her name was Lucinda?? Ted, that is a darned creepy looking place!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Nope, not that I remember. Ted told me the story but I’m not allowed to share it. 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Ted,
It does seem many of us went with haunted this week. 😉 Thank you for your affirming comments. And…nu? I’m still waiting for your story. Thanks for the loan of the photo, too. One of the few I didn’t “borrow.”
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
Not something I would want to experience! Gently creepy and sometimes that’s the most chilling of all.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Dear Lisa,
Mission accomplished. I imagine to little Lucinda, the scene was even welcoming. Perhaps she had nice conversation with her great-great grandmother. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
Rochelle, perhaps she did 🙂
Shalom,
Lisa
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oooooohhhhh, NIIIIICE! A little creepiness to get the week started (even if it IS Wednesday).
Five out of five Macguffins.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Dear Cuzzin Kent,
Out of my comfort zone and into the Twilight Zone. (For some of us the week begins on Wednesday 😉 ) Thank you.
Shalom,
Cuzzin Shelley
LikeLike
Now … MY turn. 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
Sorry, Rochelle and Everyone. while I was away WP changed their format and I can’t get anything to work correctly. Can’t get image to load, couldn’t get it to separate paragraphs to add a linky for Fri Fic. I’m not even sure what I tried to publish worked stand alone. Sigh… Oh, well. such is my world these days…
LikeLiked by 1 person
set your editor back to classic. that’s what I did.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m on my laptop today, so I’ll see. This sharing a computer with Hubby isn’t easy.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Dear Bear,
I’m so sorry you’re having such terrible issues. 😦
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
Sad thing is it won’t let me go back to classic. Gonna take some figuring to figure it out on this end. Grrrr….
LikeLiked by 1 person
Evidently it won’t let me do that, either. Grrr… I don’t like this block thing that’s its stuck in.
LikeLiked by 1 person
look here… https://wordpress.com/forums/topic/how-do-i-go-back-to-classic-editor/
LikeLiked by 2 people
The first thing I thought when I saw the picture was a haunted house… the ghost seems to be benign though… maybe she can be a secret friend instead.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Dear Björn,
I think the majority of us saw a haunted house. 😉 I like the idea of Great-Great Grandma being a secret friend. She doesn’t seem at all frightening to me. I don’t think she even realizes she and her baby died. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m not sure if ghosts work to the same timescales as we mortals, so maybe 100 years is just a heartbeat ago.
Cool tale, m’lady.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Dear CE,
To the first Lucinda time stands still. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
If ever a house needed ghost story, this one is it. And gee, thanks for the goosebumps. 😉
LikeLiked by 2 people
Dear Eric,
Happy to know my story gave you goosebumps. High praise. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
Spooky stuff excellently executed
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you, Shrawley. 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
Chilling supernatural tale. Definitely a prompt for ghost and horror stories 🙂
LikeLiked by 2 people
Dear Iain,
Yes, the prompt definitely inspired ghost stories this week. Thank you for your comments on mine. 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
Querida Rochelle,
The photo does have a haunting feel when the photograph is viewed. I went for the scary stuff too. But, somewhat a semi-realistic fiction.
Could Halloween be far behind? A nicely unfolding story for this week.
Have a wonderful day … Be Safe
Abazos y Carino,
Isadora 😎
LikeLiked by 2 people
Querida Isadora,
I’m glad you enjoyed my story. It was a little out of my comfort zone, but it was fun to write. Have a good weekend. 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
You dun good, mi amiga. 👍😊😍
LikeLiked by 1 person
A spooky tale, I got the chills. My grandmother insisted she had breakfast with my grandfather each morning. 😉 Not sure, but she believed it. The photo certainly does scream “haunted house!”
LikeLiked by 2 people
Dear Brenda,
It’s always gratifying to write a story that evokes emotion. 😉 I guess only your grandmother knew the truth…well maybe. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
It is certainly going to be an interesting breakfast…not sure if I’d stick around for lunch…love the huge dark eyes reference that evidently has been passed down over the ages.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Dear Jeanne,
On the other hand, Lucinda might want to have lunch with the elder Lucinda. And it doesn’t seem that Mom is taking it too seriously. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
is it Halloween yet? a well-written ghost story.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Dear Plaridel,
I don’t know why, but your 8 attempts to comment went to my trash folder. At any rate, thank you for reading and commenting and being an important part of this blog community. 😉
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
i didn’t know either. luckily the 9th was a charm. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Actually must be 10th, I found another this morning and your reply to Bear. I don’t get why some comments keep going to Trash. It’s why I generally check it several times a day. SMH.
LikeLiked by 1 person
i guess it has something to do with wordpress having temper tantrum. 🙂
LikeLiked by 2 people
The perfect story for such a creepy-looking house 🙂
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you, Ali.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
You’ve given us all the chills this week Rochelle!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Dear Keith,
Mission Accomplished. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
Abode of phantom family members:)
LikeLiked by 1 person
I love a good ghost story and this was definitely one. Thanks, as ever, Rochelle.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you, Siobhan. 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
Some family members love to hang around even after they should be long gone.We know it’s all in the mind. Lovely ghost story.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Dear James,
I don’t think Lucinda realizes she and her baby aren’t among the living. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
I had to chuckle when Mom answered with something as ordinary as, “Nonsense, she died in childbirth.” Isn’t it just like a level-headed, stable mother to take it all in her stride???
LikeLiked by 2 people
Dear Sandra,
No doubt Mom considers Lucinda an “imaginative child.” 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
Nice one Rochelle. I think most of us are going to use a ghostwriter for this prompt.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Dear Subroto,
Ghostwriter. I like that. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
Hi Rochelle, I’m new to the Friday Fictioneers family and wanted to say how much I enjoyed your ghost story! Great twist at the end:)
LikeLiked by 2 people
Dear Sue,
Again, welcome to the FFFamily. And thank you for your lovely comment.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
Rochelle, I love historical fiction and the supernatural and this would be a great premise for a longer tale! The name Lucinda is perfect, too.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Dear Paula Sue,
As you’ve figured out already, I’m sure. I also love historical fiction. Perhaps I’ll take you up on the suggestion of writing this into a longer tale one day. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
A lovely chilling tale Rochelle. The large old house in black and white has certainly conjured up many a creepy tale this week. Good stories!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Dear Shelley,
Ghost stories were the norm this week, weren’t they? Thank you for reading and leaving a nice comment. 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Rochelle,
Creepy. It reads like a Gothic mystery.
Shalom,
Adele
LikeLiked by 2 people
Dear Adele,
In this case, creepy is a definite compliment. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
You’re welcome 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dying never stopped anybody communicating!
Shalom,
Ronda
LikeLiked by 2 people
Dear Ronda,
I don’t suppose it does. 😀 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
Oooooo I love a ghost story. And children always see more than the rest of us. This was a lovely story.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Dear Laurie,
Children do see more than adults, don’t they. Thank you. 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
Delightfullyspooky and also homely.because of the loving family.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Dear Francine,
I was actually going for both. Your sweet comment tells me I succeeded. 😀 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike