Out of curiosity I thought I’d record this, as it’s only 100 words long.
Beneath my branches, the dead are buried. With each new corpse I send out my roots and pierce their skulls, absorbing their skills, their memories, their beliefs. Funeral rites are fulfilled under the shade I supply and colourful ribbons are tied to my limbs by the youngest of the locals. When they come of age, they will choose a leaf and press it to their heart. Each leaf is a body I have digested and formed anew. Thus ancestral memories are passed down to the young, ensuring the town will thrive. When they die, their descendants will continue the ritual.
Still thinking about changing the whole “100 stories in 100 days” thing, but since I had a story in mind I figured I’d put it up.
This is my third 100 word story, alongside #30: Crystalline Divinity and #32: Finnegan’s Arch. I suppose if I mostly stuck to doing 100 word stories then I could stick to my original plan, but I wouldn’t find it satisfying.
Recording my voice is interesting though. I felt compelled to turn the pitch down by 3% as my polite customer service voice is too high pitched for my liking. I also haven’t quite got rid of all the noise, so that’s something I’d have to fiddle with more (or get a better mic) if I tried this out again.
What are your thoughts on Ancestral Memories? I’d love to hear what you think works and what doesn’t, or how it could be improved.
A lovely piece! There's something magical and cathartic about rituals and tradition. You depicted that impactfully with your writing! Also, wonderful reading! You have a nice voice.