Black Dark Simple Presentation

[Audio] A ROSE FOR EMILY. A ROSE FOR EMILY. -GROUP 3-.

I’VE BEEN SURROUNDED by death all my life. I used to think this town was cursed. No, I thought this house was cursed. No matter rain or shine, or even with the war that ran rampant through our country – I can still hear the way Great Aunt Wyatt rocked in her chair, mumbling prayers that wouldn’t be answered – the Grierson house has stood still, unmoving, and silent. Like death..

It’s quite memorable, if you compare it to the houses that line our street. Sometimes, in flashes of memories, I see it – a square house shrouded in white, with peeling ivory and crawling vines eating it alive, swallowing the infrastructure with a decay that rivaled the many prominent families that were long buried six feet under. Even with the rush of time and modernity that slowly took over Jefferson, I look and I see how everything remains the same, even down to the barely-visible cracks on the marble balconies that lined the second floor..

Time likes to play tricks on me, sometimes. One moment I’m nothing, floating in a vast expanse of nothingness, and then I blink . I’m standing still, parallel to the front door which remains closed. The mail slot slips open and in comes an envelope, falling to the floor. The action is small, but it’s enough for the presence behind me – Tobe – to flinch and pick it up swiftly. He hands it to me, arms outstretched, as if he’s hesitant to be anywhere near my vicinity..

[Audio] And then I blink again, and many days have gone by. Tobe continues to stack the envelopes on top of the mahogany table right next to the coat racks, and it's quite satisfying watching the tax notices pile up. They've become avid collectors of dust, as if with enough particles they'll finally lose their worth. Even the mayor himself has sent me a note, enclosed in a cream-colored envelope with official block letters staring back up at me from the page. It would've been so endearing had it not been pathetic. I returned it with a letter of my own, and the tax notice was enclosed like an afterthought..

[Audio] A deputation came to my house that day. I remember the way they looked at me – almost as if they couldn't believe I was there. That I was the legendary Emily Grierson, the talk of the town, the august name that walked the cobbled streets of Jefferson. I suppose I have changed. I was no longer the Emily that charmed people when she walked by without a word. I had become pale, small, and rotting..

[Audio] Miss Emily Grierson was an empty shell that was only good for displaying and dollying up. Miss Emily Grierson was long dead before she was even buried. The cane under my palm shook. It had been my father's, an heirloom passed down in the family. "I have no taxes in Jefferson. Colonel Sartoris explained it to me. Perhaps you can gain access to the city records and satisfy yourselves.".

[Audio] The deputation didn't appear shocked, but rather, he leaned over a tad, like how one does when they wished to comfort a child. There was a patient understanding in his eyes. "But we have. We are the city authorities, Miss Emily. Didn't you get a notice from the sheriff, signed by him?" "I received a paper, yes," I spoke, nodding my head curtly. "Perhaps he considers himself sheriff…I have no taxes in Jefferson.".

[Audio] "But there is nothing in the books to show that, you see. We must go by the – " "See Colonel Sartoris. I have no taxes in Jefferson." He will explain it. The colonel had been ever so kind and considerate. He will clear up this misunderstanding. "But Miss Emily – ".

“See Colonel Sartoris .” Why were they looking at me in such a strange way, whispering amongst themselves? Didn’t they know him? It was quite foolish not knowing the person who saved the town from the war. Then again, perhaps their youth had caused them to forget their roots. “I have no taxes in Jefferson. Tobe !” Quick as a fox, Tobe had appeared, already gripping the knob of the front door. “Show these gentlemen out.”.

[Audio] And they left the grounds that surrounded my overgrown house, just like how their fathers did before them..

[Audio] THEY SAID MY father died in the night. I used to hear murmured stories from Tobe, sometimes. Whispers of poison and deception, of madness and insanity and blood-splattered walls, but I had made no move to correct them..

[Audio] I think I remember a time when the dinner table used to be warm, lit up by candlelight that danced ever-so-softly with the wind that managed to sneak through the silk curtains that blocked out the lights of the windows. The house had been dark before, but it gave me more warmth than it ever had my entire life. A mother and a father used to sit side-by-side at one end of the table, and a daughter – so perfect, charming, beautiful – was placed on the other end..

[Audio] It is easier to remember memories when you think of them as nothing but hazy daydreams, conjured up in the spur of the moment. I had found myself sitting down on my designated chair on the dinner table. The seats were carved oak, with plush red backing making my somewhat uncomfortable situation seem a lot more bearable. I had stared at my father – was he my father? Or another figment of imagination? – seated across from me..

[Audio] He had looked the same as always, silk napkin draped over his chest, silver cutlery still grasped in his firm hold. The stern expression was still there. His complexion had gone waxy with time, and the stench. It had been absolutely horrid, and smelled sour, choking whoever came close. But the candles on the candelabra had still danced, the same way they did many, many years ago. This place was still warm. Death would never hold my father..

[Audio] Many ladies had flocked towards the front door, repeatedly passing condolences from their lips like it was second nature. I haven't a clue as to how they found out what happened, but suddenly, their lace corsets and flowery perfumes became overwhelming as they crowded at the front of the house..

[Audio] " Miss Emily! Miss Emily, dear, we want to give you our deepest condolences," an unfamiliar lady said, her hand on her chest. Sympathy was oozing from her voice. "We can't even begin to know what you're going through, but know that we are always here to he – " "My father is not dead." I interrupted sharply, slamming the door in their face..

[Audio] They had persisted for the next three days, until the smell became worse and even Judge Stevens could not do anything to hold back the complaining townspeople. Ministers, doctors, all sorts of people had knocked on my door, either threatening or comforting. When they burst into my house, Father was already stiff, rigor mortis setting his body frozen in time. I hadn't cried. I had felt nothing as I watched them cover his face with a cotton sheet, wheeling the body out on top of a squeaky gurney..

[Audio] I had seen the townspeople whisper amongst themselves that day. But it was about how they felt pity for me, how it was understandable that I kept the cadaver of the person who robbed me of the prospect of love and marriage. I made no move to correct them, like how I always did. It is difficult to sway the minds of those who keep their feet rooted to the ground..

[Audio] I DIDN'T LEAVE the house again for a while. I had spent most of my time standing in front of the stained-glass window that decorated the wall by the staircase, observing how the outlines of cherubs and angels dotted the glass. Father had commissioned it all the way from France..

[Audio] I reached behind my back, feeling the locks of dark brown hair. The frizz was evidence that I rarely took care of myself. The tips had gone past my waist, nearly reaching the back of my knees. I had looked at the window more closely. " Tobe!" I called out, scurrying down the stairs. "Look for the scissors, and get here immediately!".

[Audio] When I stepped out after a while, my hair was straighter, and ended at my shoulders. This time, I appreciated the whispers more. The next day was the loudest I've ever experienced. There was a new construction going on right outside my door, and I could hear the way the iron picks struck the pavements and the curses that were murmured by the workers..

[Audio] As I gazed around my window, I took a glimpse of a large man with gleaming eyes, chuckling as he converse with the construction workers. There was a youthful mischievousness in the way his eyes crinkled when he smiled. Perhaps, with the way he was dressed, he was also one of the workers. However, that was not a subject of concern for me. I was captivated by his dreamy features that felt like an affectionate hug around the middle..

[Audio] As days passed by, Homer and I became acquaintances. I began to go out more often as we spent afternoons driving around the town, in his yellow-wheeled buggy together with his humorous chatter. That led me to grow more fond of him. His presence brought me the joy that I have not felt in all my life under my father's tutelage..

[Audio] Along with that, people around me began to whisper. Two cousins of mine came over, but we rarely talked. They were merely there as guardians, in a way. Nobody trusted me alone anymore; I'm pretty sure not even Tobe did. And then that day came, and it was like a thread snapped..

[Audio] It was a day like any other. I remember it as clear as day. The sun shone down with mirth, comfortably showering me with warmth. It was comforting, and distracted me enough to the point where my conflicted emotions were nothing for a moment. The bell above the pharmacist's door jingled upon my entrance, alerting the druggist of my presence. I assume he made some move to greet me, but I didn't care. The curse of hatred blinded me; I was only focused on one thing..

[Audio] "I want some poison." I muttered hurriedly. Too slow, too slow, too slow. I need it now – "I want some poison." I said with finality, trying to inject a harsh tone into my voice. I would get what I wanted today. " Yes, Miss Emily. What kind?" The kindness in his tone annoyed me, for some reason. "For rats and such? I'd recom – ".

[Audio] "I want the best you have. I don't care what kind." He named several. Some were unfamiliar, some were not. They weren't what I was looking for, however. "They'll kill anything up to an elephant. But what you want is – " Something clicked. " Arsenic. Is that a good one?".

[Audio] The druggist looked startled for a moment, but he recovered quickly. "Is…arsenic? Yes, ma'am. But what you want – " "I want arsenic." He looked down at me. Foolish man, how dare you underestimate me – "Why, of course," he said finally, his dry lips cracked. "If that's what you want. But the law requires you to tell what you are going to use it for.".

[Audio] I stared at him. The druggist stared back. I tilted my head, and the aura fell into tense depths. I could see a bead of sweat trail down his chin. After a while, he ended up bowing, murmuring apologies, and ducked his head towards the back of the store. I waited patiently by the counter. A Negro delivery boy came back out, though the druggist didn't. I didn't care. Our transaction was over. I would have no use for him anymore..

[Audio] I got home that day, and seated myself on the chaise by the living room. I opened the package. Very conveniently stuck to the box was a note covering up the insignia that was decorated with skull and bones. On the paper, written in hasty calligraphy, were the words, "For rats.".

[Audio] RUMORS CAME BY and floated in my vicinity. The stories were mostly about me, which angered me even further. There were so-called accurate spiels of my mental state, saying that I was closer to ending my own life than I was to die from natural causes..

[Audio] Two of my cousins remained in the household, ducking and weaving in and out of the hallway shadows. It was like they were actively avoiding having any sort of personal communication with me. Their only purpose in the house was to exist, and ensure that I still existed..

[Audio] Tobe knocked on my door just when I was brushing my hair. He had no need to say anything; I put down the comb on top of my vanity and sighed, staring ruefully at the pearl-covered surface. It had been a gift from one of my many admirers, the only one my father had allowed me to keep..

[Audio] "What is it, Tobe?" I prompted, knowing full well that it was the package I purchased from the jeweler's. I quickly rose from my chair, somehow eager to see the silver toilet seat for Homer that I was long anticipating to arrive. I then opened the door and saw Tobe who had a slightly peculiar yet vague look..

[Audio] "A package by your name arrived at the doorsteps, Ms. Grierson," Tobe uttered. I walked past him, hearing the creaking stairs as his footsteps followed me along. There it is. A huge brown box that has been packaged well with plasters. "Tobe, kindly bring this to my room," I ordered. I did not want him to see its content. It was a special thing that I had for Homer, and no one more..

[Audio] As he wordlessly brought the box up the stairs with difficulty, I inhaled through my nose. I would do this. I ignored the voice in my head that whispered this is the coward's way out. I unwrapped the package, admiring the treasures that lay within. The silver of the toiletries shone under the blinking lamp, and I could clearly see the monogrammed letters carved and sewn into every product, H.B. I was expecting another package that would come within two days, a complete set of clothing, all for Homer..

[Audio] " Tobe?" I mumbled, regarding his presence by the doorway. He had stood patiently, quietly, like how every servant did. When I saw him nod, I continued. "Please send word to Homer Barron when he comes back. Tell him he is invited to my house for dinner, as soon as possible.".

[Audio] Tobe merely bowed, waiting for a beat. I raised my hand and waved him off, dismissing him of his duties. The bottle of arsenic sat heavy in my pocket. I would get my way, always..

[Audio] AND SO MY doors remained closed for who knows how long. The only thing I can remember from that time was when I tried to give out china-painting lessons to the blossoming ladies of Jefferson. They were vibrant with their feminine youth, and were exuberant enough to willingly participate in painting. But then they became mothers, and formed the newer generation, and they were quick to forget. It did not matter to me..

[Audio] People came by and went, but the ones I disliked the most were the ones who tried so hard to prod in my business. " Miss Emily, we must insist!" The nameless man exclaimed, holding up papers and metal numbers in his hands. "This change can help further modernize Jefferson! You needn't worry about the payments, the postal delivery is completely free – ".

[Audio] "No. I must insist that you step off my porch, and leave." I said, with blazing fury. "While you're at it, do get rid of the mailbox you've so rudely attached to my front lawn." I slammed the door, fuming..

[Audio] Days, months, years went by, and soon enough I was weak. I often sent Tobe out whenever I needed anything; his lean body and calloused hands were built to resist the fate of the old. Even when he stood stooped, there was still determination in his eyes. He would silently hand me an envelope every now and then, and I would frown at the seal that I'd been seeing for so many years. I told Tobe to return the tax notices, every time they came..

[Audio] The upstairs of the house was the part which I had completely shut, and even banned Tobe from entering. I was the only one who could go up there. With the help of my wobbly knees and rock-hard cane, I trudged up the stairs, wanting to see him once more..

[Audio] I unlocked the door to the bedroom, and was blasted by the scent of mold and mildew, with a sharp tinge of lemon. It was enough to make my toes curl, but I continued onward towards the canopy bed, spotting the figure that lay in the silk sheets..

[Audio] His shirt was exactly where I left it, neatly hung on top of a chaise. His pants were folded, and his shoes slid underneath the chair legs, the laces still tied. I could see dust particles from the slightly open curtain, and the sunlight that streamed in made the silver gifts I laid on top of the vanity glint..

[Audio] I kicked off my shoes and slid underneath the covers, making myself as comfortable as I could. I snuggled up to the figure, inhaling. The lemon scent was stronger now, with an underlying hint of rotting flesh. But I'd promised. I'd promised that whoever I loved next, I wouldn't dare lose them. Not even death would hold them..

[Audio] " Homer, darling, do you recall the song you sang for me, when we first went out to a picnic together?" I mumbled, sliding my wrinkled fingers underneath his, feeling the way some of the skin had parted to make way for bone. "I've always loved that song. How did it go again? Will you still love me when I'm no longer young and beautiful…".

[Audio] Love is dangerous for a Grierson, I heard my father's voice whisper, somewhere. It leaves no room for nothing else..

[Audio] THANK YOU. THANK YOU.