HauntJaunts #ParaDayParT: Haunted Objects

Welcome to my contribution to the Haunt Jaunts #ParaDayParT day!
Check out all the other participants here.

Today I’m going to talk about haunted objects, like in my recent short story published in Haunt Jaunts, Shadow People and Cursed Objects. My short “Bye, Bye Blackbird” is a tale about two flapper chicks who steal a cursed necklace, but don’t know it’s cursed.

My inspiration for this story came about while researching Bakelite jewelry. Designers such as Coco Chanel and Elsa Schiaprelli started making Bakelite jewelry in the 20’s. Mostly for costume jewelry, the fad caught on big time and is still a jewelry-collectors prize today. A lot of hub-bub over what is basically just plastic. But back then, it was a novel creation.

None of this sounds spooky until you consider that once the initial Bakelite fad started, artists and designers started experimenting by putting other objects in the mix. Wood, rock, bone…

And that’s when the idea sparked. What if some demented artist started killing birds and putting their bones in his creations? What if the birds then haunted the object? What if other birds knew their friends had been killed for the specific purpose to adorn the necks, wrists, and earlobes of socialites?

Thus begins the Glennis and Chole story. Two socialite flappers from Manhattan find the raven-shaped necklace and want to buy it, but the shop owner doesn’t want to sell it them. When wild Chole steals the necklace and Glennis starts wearing it, strange things start happening. Is it the necklace? Or just her imagination? And what did the shop owner mean when he said, “I don’t think it suits you?”

Read the story in  Shadow People and Cursed Objects and find out what happens to the girls. Also, decide…was it written after a true story, or not? Was there really a girl in the 20’s who owned a cursed necklace? And what did the birds do to her?

Now that you’ve enjoyed my blog, go check out the great blogs by others at:

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Want more of “Bye, Bye, Blackbird?” Check out the alternate ending below.
****WARNING**** Spoilers! ****

Please read “Bye, Bye, Blackbird” in  Shadow People and Cursed Objects first.

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“Bye, Bye, Blackbird” – ALTERNATE ENDING:

by Emerian Rich

occurs after the last line of the published work

#

On a bright Winter morning, a room full of the highest society in New York’s Upper East Side gathered to peruse an estate sale.

“Our next item up for bidding is a unique piece. Bakelite infused with the delicate bones of blackbirds from the British Isles.”

“It’s fab! I don’t care how much,” Madeline said.

“Yes, you must have it,” Alice agreed, nodding her head as the bidding started.

Madeline stood up, waving her ticket.

“Five hundred!”

Murmurs of shock rippled through the room as Madeline bid well over the starting bid. The auctioneer stood at the podium in a pristine suit, his long white hair tied back in an elaborate braid.

“Last bids?” Silence fell over the crowd. “Sold, to the lady in yellow.”

Madeline squealed, hugging Alice and enjoying attention from the elite audience.

“I hope it suits you,” the auctioneer whispered with an evil grin.

~*END*~