Bone, Blood and Water

Summary

A child takes a dark and violent approach to growth and revenge by using the elements of gardening to bury their sibling's eyes, inspired by a parent's gardening advice and a writing prompt.

Abstract

The narrative revolves around a child who, after being bullied and physically harmed by their younger brother Danny, decides to retaliate in a gruesome manner. Drawing on their father's advice that "bone meal, bloodmeal, dirt and water" are needed to make things grow, along with "dead things," the child lures Danny to the garden under the guise of digging a hole. There, the child strikes Danny with a garden spade and uses a knife to remove his eyes, burying them in the hope of growing a new pair of glasses. This chilling tale is part of a writing challenge for the publication "PROMPTLY WRITTEN" and serves as a reminder that horror can sprout from the most unexpected places, even from a child's imagination.

Opinions

The author suggests that dark thoughts and actions can stem from seemingly innocuous sources, such as a parent's gardening advice.
The story implies that the cycle of violence and retaliation can lead to horrific consequences, even among siblings.
By participating in the writing prompts for April, the author demonstrates a willingness to explore the macabre and unsettling themes in their storytelling.
The narrative hints at the idea that stories, especially those that are dark and disturbing, can take root and grow in the fertile ground of the imagination.
The author invites the reader to reflect on the nature of horror and its presence in everyday life, as well as in literature.
The child's actions can be seen as an extreme and twisted interpretation of the concept of "growth," suggesting a critique of how violence can be an unwanted byproduct of a growth-oriented mindset.

Bone, Blood and Water

Bone meal, bloodmeal, dirt and water — that’s what Daddy says you need to grow.

That and dead things.

Dead egg shells, dead coffee grounds, dead leaves from the winter.

Dead things always grow.

Daddy calls it calm post.

My little brother Danny wasn’t calm when he yelled at me and called me names.

He wasn’t calm when he pushed me down and broke my brand new glasses.

So I waited until Danny forgot how mean he’d been to me.

“C’mon Danny,” I said. “Let’s go dig a hole.”

So we ran out to the garden and when Danny wasn’t looking I swung Daddy’s garden spade over my shoulder and aimed it straight at the back of Danny’s head.

Chunk.

Then I took Daddy’s garden knife and I cut both of Danny’s blue eyes out of their sockets and I buried them deep into the dirt.

Bone, blood and water.

Maybe I can grow a brand new pair of bright blue glasses.

I know, I know — you weren’t expecting something as dark as this little nugget of nasty folk horror. But, it’s late night and a fine time for nightmares.

So why’d I write it? Well, I wrote this story for Ravyne Hawke’s fabulously entertaining publication PROMPTLY WRITTEN to take part in their Writing Prompts for April.

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