|
Written by TopCat
|
| Cassie Smyth aka JaneDoughnut |
| Cassie recently moved to Eugene, Oregon from Shreveport, Louisiana. In Shreveport, she freelanced for the Shreveport Times and SB Magazine, created Red River Ink and published the first two issues of North of New Orleans (with Jason Lammons for NONO#1). She erratically posts short fiction, particularly ghost stories, and photography on her blog at janedoughnut.blogspot.com. Currently, Ms. Doughnut is looking for writing opportunities in Eugene, and plans to start some projects inspired by the amazing writing community in Shreveport. |
"Two Swings On A Hill"
Behind my brother's house, a perfect hill rises up past the neighborhood fence. It's a backyard for wealthier people, accidentally visible from the porches of the more average. The hill is steep, and you'll have to either climb that impassable fence or find the secluded entrance for those stately homes before you can even reach its base. And he has never climbed it. My brother only points to a tree and mentions the swing.
"One day, I'm gonna climb that hill and swing like a kid." "It looks dangerous," I say, ever the first-born.
It looks fun," he says, ever the little brother. I look closely, picking out the shape of the swing from the shadows of the trees. "There are two swings," I say. | 
myspace/janedoughnut
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
|
The first is a red board, tied to a rope hanging from a tree near the top.
The second is a wooden seat, lying in the dirt under a broken and frayed length of rope.
I tell my brother this, but he can't see it. Neither can his wife. I'm the only one that can make out the second swing.
I'm the only one who wonders at the story of a broken rope at the top of a steep hill. | |
 |
