Liam's Mysterious Jar

Submitted by Anna on Tue, 04/12/2011 - 17:03

Aw. Thanks for picking A Mysterious Jar, friends. :) ~Anna

No one ever caught Liam reading, not really. He would take a book under his arm, sit in the rocking chair in the living room, and fall asleep with it. When he woke up, he seemed to know everything about it.

Only Liam knew the truth. Just by touching the cover of a book, it would speak its story into his mind. Not only books, either. Liam took to wearing gloves so sensory data didn't overwhelm him - benches always calling to be sat on, keyboards always correcting his spelling, grass begging not to be mowed while the mower begged to be fixed.

One spring day he was making cookies (don't ask why; why shouldn't he make cookies if he likes?), without gloves so that the ingredients could tell him exactly how wrong the recipe or his instincts were. The sugar told him to try a little cinnamon, so he reached into the dark spice cabinet and closed his fingers around a jar.

"DON'T OPEN ME!" it screamed.

Promptly forgetting about his batch of cookies, Liam gasped. Jars had never told him not to open them before. He set it on the counter, but the glass was green and opaque.

"Don't, don't, don't open me," the jar half sobbed.

Liam wanted to ask why not, but unfortunately, his gift only worked one way.

The jar sat on the counter for the next two hours and revealed no secrets. Liam felt a strange attraction to it, and no wonder - an inanimate object with secrets it wouldn't blurt.

For the next two weeks after that, Liam carried it in his backpack. And, finally, he forgot about it.

Until he dropped a heavy book into the backpack, and the jar shattered with a shriek of "No!"

Dust swirled around Liam's hand, outstretched in the backpack. The dust stung, and on his bare skin it laughed. The dust laughed as it burned him.

Thinking fast through the pain, Liam zipped up the backpack, trapping the dust. That night he kindled a fire in the front room after the world went to sleep and threw the backpack in - books and all.

The fire crackled. Several times it nearly went out, but Liam was determined to get rid of the backpack, and more specifically the dust. His arm hurt less the more the backpack burned; by the time the bag was gone, the sting had healed completely.

Liam fell asleep on the floor in relief, but he woke with a terrible start.

Who put the jar in my cupboard?!

THE END

Author's age when written
15
Genre
Fiction
Tags
horror
short story
a mysterious jar
spring theme

Comments

Anna

Thu, 04/14/2011 - 14:46

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It's a horror story, so yes. The End. Ha ha! :)

No, actually, I had completely forgotten my suggestion until James put up his letter. And then I realized, "Hey, wouldn't it be cool if I..." I'd love to expand the idea though, of a character who could do that.

I have hated the words and I have loved them, and I hope I have made them right. --The Book Thief

Kathleen

Fri, 04/15/2011 - 02:56

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 I really liked this piece. I was intrigued by a character who could do that and from the moment  the mysterious jar was introduced I became insanely curious. So good job! Talking inanimate objects are always interesting, or at least I think so. 

James

Fri, 04/15/2011 - 16:57

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In typical Anna style, you killed your main subject.

<><~~~~~~~~~~~~><>
"The idea that we should approach science without a philosophy is itself a philosophy... and a bad one, because it is self-refuting." -- Dr. Jason Lisle

E

Fri, 04/15/2011 - 19:42

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I thoroughly enjoyed :) excellent job!

"You were not meant to fit into a shallow box built by someone else." -J. Raymond

Mary

Sat, 04/16/2011 - 01:30

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Quite different. Honestly I wasn't quite sure what to make of this story. Did the dust take away Liam's ability to sense things through his hand? There are just so many unanswered questions here...

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Brother: Your character should drive a motorcycle.
Me: He can't. He's in the wilderness.
Brother: Then make it a four-wheel-drive motorcycle!

Micheala

Mon, 04/18/2011 - 14:06

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It is so cool to see all the differnt jar stories.  And the differnces between say Mr. Gandafle's Gnome wich I wrote and Liam's Jar and the doctor.

Marlene E. Schuler

Mon, 04/18/2011 - 16:02

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Who put the jar in my cupboard!? 

You can just hear a cymbal crash! Who indeed, though? That is a question which we, the unwitting readers, must figure out. I like how the jar warned him... weird... but interesting at the same time... ; ) When my posts recharge, I'll put my Mysterious Jar story up. I can tell you now: It is completely different to what has been posted already! 

Muhahaha! 

Visit yon blob of literary adventureness!
www.charlieandmewrite.blogspot.com

Anna

Mon, 04/18/2011 - 20:48

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Aredhel: Thank you. :) I like talking inanimate objects too. I read one book with a sword that could talk to its owner that was interesting and in some ways really creepy.

Tamerah: Oh, please do. It's our spring theme! So maybe you have to. Ha!

James: Yes, I'm a student of Shakespeare. "The Tragedy of Hamlet" or "Romeo and Juliet" ring any bells? :) I'll show you when I finish the next chapters of Wygate's Used Books. (Yes, I'm trying it again!)

Erin: Thanks!

Mary: Ooh, that's an idea, with the dust taking away his ability. Hadn't even occurred to me - but I guess if the backpack didn't speak to him...

Michaela: *guilty smile* Haven't read those yet, but I plan to. Reeeeally soon. :)

Marlene: Nice! I've been following you, so I'll be there. Once I read my other bookmarks, heh heh...

Everyone: I've decided that if anyone wants to adopt this story, it's up for grabs. I'd love to do something with the threads myself, but I have too many projects right now.

I have hated the words and I have loved them, and I hope I have made them right. --The Book Thief

Kassady

Wed, 05/04/2011 - 17:51

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LOL! I loved the abrupt ending! Well... no body llikes abrupt endings... but this one was a funny abrupt ending!...*sigh* Nevermind!

ThiswastotallygreatIloveditsomuchandpleasepleaspleasepleasewriteasequel!pleaseohplease!

 

THIS WAS GREATTTTTTTTT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks so much for thinking of "A Mysterious Jar"! I've been going through many, and their very enjoyable! Encluding yours! Especially yours!

LOVED IT!

Write on!

"Here's looking at you, Kid"
---
Write On!