The Ladies of Horror
Picture-Prompt Writing Challenge!

Father
by Lynn Ruzzo

Sarah looked upon the old machine, its keys unpressed in so long. It had belonged to her sister, Clara, whose body was no more than the dust which gathered atop the black metal carriage. Sarah was sure its ribbon’s ink was dry, but she pressed a key anyway, if only in remembrance.

The hammer pressed the paper with a loud clack, and to her surprise, the letter ‘H’ appeared as dark and fresh as if it were new. Then the keys began to press themselves, each lever swinging up to the paper without her touching a single key. Once it was finished, it spelled out Help me.

Sarah’s heart pounded in her chest. “Clara?” she spoke aloud.

Yes, the keys typed. It’s me.

Tears rolled from Sarah’s eyes. One last chance to speak to her sister who she missed so much was almost too much to bear.

The typewriter began clacking away yet again.

I was murdered. It wasn’t an accident.

“Murdered?” Sarah gasped. “Who? Who did this?” As the door creaked open behind Sarah, and a large shadow formed over her, one last word typed itself out – Father….