A-Z Challenge Day 8

Posted Saturday April 9

Today’s neglected words are somewhat easier to pronounce than yesterday's
Holm n. River island

Holt n. Woody hill or grove

Herbose adj. Abounding with herbs

A couple of words I liked  but couldn't use:-
Huggermugger n. One who acts in a secretive manner. Origin: 1530s 
Hornswoggle v- To deceive.

Our parents didn’t know. We didn’t dare tell them. But doing foolish things is part of growing up isn't it?

A fast flowing river ran past our village.  About a mile downstream was a little holm. It was our holm, our special place. Often we would hold hands, leap into the water and battle with the current as we swam over to it. 

Verity made us a flag. We planted it near the top of a holt and claimed  the island for ourselves. On balmy summer afternoons, we would lay on our backs hand in hand in a sweet smelling herbose clearing, and hear nothing but our breath and the songs of birds.

*

I didn’t want to do it that day.  The river was a rushing torrent. I allowed her to persuade me. Come on she said. The last thing she ever said.

*

It was years before I returned. The flag was still there so I surrounded it with a heart of stones. My eye was caught by something hanging in a tree, blowing in the breeze. A shirt. Verity's shirt. I plucked it from the branch and pressed it to my face. It smelled of herbs, the herbs on which we used to lay.

I have not been back again.



As we get a day off tomorrow, I have written a piece for The Sunday Whirl which I will post here at midnight tonight. 

To  read previous stories, click on the letter!

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