‘What’s the point of it?’
The tower was five storeys high – bruised white washed walls, red corner stones, an onion dome roof.
Steph shook her head. ‘No point. Just a wealthy man showing off. That’s why they call them follies.’
Up close what had looked like a wooden door was just painted plaster, the grain worked in with a fine brush. It was cold under his hand, the surface slightly damp.
‘So, are there rooms inside?’ he said.
Steph peered at her guidebook. ‘Says here – the brick and plaster construction was thought to be solid until 1996 when a scan revealed a hollow chamber inside.’
Dai’s fringe flopped over his eyes. He gave her a lopsided smiled. ‘Like a burial chamber?’
Steph rested her hand on his, fingers curling round his. ‘Like a prison,’ she whispered.
***
Written for What Pegman Saw, the prompt that uses Google Street View as its jumping off point. This week we visit French Polynesia. See here to join in.
Word Shamble 
So spooky. I was put in mind of HH Holmes and the death house he constructed in Chicago. Really well-paced. Thanks for participating!
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Oh, yes, what a chilling real life tale that is. The whole Holmes story sounds like a gruesome invention, all the more chilling because it was real. Glad you liked the story. And thanks for continuing to run Pegman – I enjoy taking part
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Beautifully constructed. The alternating voices of the dialogue let the story unfold very naturally. your closing sentence, “‘Like a prison,’ she whispered.” is really chilling.
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Subtle, the spook quality of this
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A wonderfully creepy take on a spooky photo — it almost looks black and white, as though something supernatural is sucking the color from the surroundings. Gives an ominous twist to the idea of a folly, too. I especially like the description of the “bruised” white-washed walls.
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Dark pairing of fingers curling and the final line there. Fresh.
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Shudder… I’d hate for them to go inside and find remains…
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I think that’s entirely possible… Thanks for reading Dale
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