The Lure of Dark Gully
Stay away from Dark Gully, when the wind is rising in banshee shrieks and tearing at rocks and trees like a vengeful demon of the night.
Stay away when you hear the small coaxing voice come through the maelstrom, telling you to come closer; telling you there is shelter from the storm in the narrow knife-slash in the cliff face.
Flee when you see the faint glow dancing on the tips of the waves, moving slowly to the shore to rest on the storm-slick rocks.
Flee when the tiny glowing balls of mesmerizing ether begin to coalesce into a form that rises out of the surf and takes a step onto the shore.
Despair when the figure holds out its hand and you take a staggering step towards it, all warnings and common sense blown away by the gale.
Despair as your foot steps into the stinging, foam-flecked wave and you are led, unresisting, out to the place where waves pound and rocks break and life is sucked away like a match tossed into the dark abyss of space.
So when the wind rises in the east; when the waves begin their tramping march up the rocks of the beach; when the sky darkens in an ominous light, stay away.
The Green-Walled Tower 
May 26th, 2013 at 3:32 pm
Eloquent, David and as powerful as the surf! I enjoyed this one. It looks like a beautiful spot, but I’m staying away from that place.
May 27th, 2013 at 1:31 pm
It was on one of the islands I visited in February. I kind of wanted to go down there, but the waves were strong and it was pretty steep. I guess I always feel that pull towards dangerous situations. 🙂
May 26th, 2013 at 6:52 pm
Some see the danger, yet reason gets drowned.
A poetic prose, David – very well done.
Cheers,
Eric
May 26th, 2013 at 8:41 pm
Excellently executed, darling… Reading it over again, it was like there was a whispered ‘Stay! Stay! Flee! Flee! Despair! Despair!’ that echoed as I read the whole. Very effective use of repetition — this was wonderful.
May 27th, 2013 at 1:27 pm
Thank you so much. I was trying to make it somewhat lyrical.
May 26th, 2013 at 9:15 pm
[…] – The Lure of Dark Gully, by David Stewart, at his blog The Green-Walled Tower. This is a last minute second fiction […]
May 26th, 2013 at 9:28 pm
Fantastic imagery David. Half expect that ‘being’ to walk through that gorge!!
May 27th, 2013 at 1:23 pm
Thanks, that would be scary. 🙂
May 27th, 2013 at 2:14 am
I love the tone you’ve managed to achieve, both ominous and alluring, as (according to Yoda, anyway) the Dark Side usually is. Seductive and dangerous.
May 27th, 2013 at 4:42 pm
it is beautiful. well-written. but the place looks really inviting:))
May 27th, 2013 at 6:07 pm
It is inviting, although the actual cleft in the rock is very steep and dangerous. I wanted to go down there, but I couldn’t.
May 27th, 2013 at 11:54 pm
Like “Jabberwocky” and Odysseus’ clashing rocks in one.
May 28th, 2013 at 3:48 pm
this one is a masterpiece David, I will call it a poetry not story!
June 14th, 2013 at 2:58 pm
I missed this one! that is read it but did not tried it on my blog!
June 16th, 2013 at 9:20 pm
I just read your take on it. I really liked it.
June 15th, 2013 at 11:49 pm
[…] Fiction/Art – Butterflies by Cheryl Moore. This is a story of Katherine DeSomme, one of a myriad of characters created by Cheryl as part of a grand universe that she has constructed. I particularly loved the drawings for this one, and I believe that I, like Alexand, am a bit taken with Katherine. If you haven’t already discovered Unbound Boxes Limping Gods, now is the perfect opportunity — and there are many places you can jump in, although Cheryl will be happy to point you in the right direction as well if you just ask. […]