Copyright -Kent Bonham
Something was wrong with this house. He’d felt it the minute he walked in; it was alive, hungry.
Voices rumbled, crowding Nate’s head in different languages; tongues. But it was the skeletal faces that disturbed him most, staring down at him, eyes wide.
The rumbling took on a new note. Nate looked up. The dragon at the top of the stairs opened its jaw. It dashed at him, slithering.
‘Ssh! What the hell’s wrong with you, man? Everyone’s looking!’
‘The stairs, Matt. Can’t you see?’
‘Damn! Let’s get outa here, before anyone else realises you’re stoned off your ass.’
—
When I was seventeen, two of my friends and I went to Barcelona. On the way to Casa Batlló all three of us got in a fight. I have no idea what the fight was about, but like three well-bred women we gave each other the silent treatment; perfect silence for one whole hour while we admired, oohed and aahed mutely at the magnificence within this house in the picture, which is also known as the House of Bones. It so happened that since we were being so silent, we didn’t immediately notice that one of us went missing. I turned one moment and Gwyn was gone.
I ran to Claire in a hustle and broke the stalemate.
Gwyn’s mobile battery was dead; we knew because it was part of the fight, though I forget how that featured. So, with no modern means of communication available, we spent another two hours in that house, wandering about, looking for Gwyn and then another hour outside on the sidewalk, waiting for the house to spit Gwyn out again.
In that time, I kept staring at those balconies, at the stairs inside that looked like a whale skeleton; I kept thinking how trippy and psychedelic the place was, fantastical and imaginative, but trippy mainly. So I when I saw this prompt today, I couldn’t help it…this story had to come out. I hope you like it.
Oh, and Gwyn…After three hours we gave up. Claire and I took the subway and went back to the hotel. Gwyn was there, crying. Ten minutes after she realised she’d lost us, she walked all the way back to the hotel and sat there worrying whether we’d ditched her completely and flew back home without her. Sigh.
Sandra's scribbles 
Nice story and a nicer anecdote! 🙂
Thanks for sharing both.
So it is called the house of bones, I was right in my assessment! 🙂
Technically it is called Casa Bastllo after the family who owns it (the house is still privitely owned); but many call it The House of Bones because of it’s appearence..At least, that’s what Lonely Planet told me when I asked it.
Thanks for your comment Parul.
enjoyed both the stories ! 🙂
Thank you 🙂
That’s quite an anecdote! You must have been on tenterhooks all this time! The way we women exaggerate fights! 🙂 I really enjoyed reading both. Reminded me of the ‘Goosebumps’ series somehow! 🙂
I used to watch Goosebumps on Cartoon Network (I never read the series); my eyes used to be tightly shut half the time…
I started with the books and later saw the televised series. Used to enjoy both 🙂
Great story and nice anecdote. Well done.
Sometimes real life is as interesting as fiction. Thank you, Sandra.
I enjoyed both your stories. That must have been a bad time for all of you!
janet
Oh, it was alright; it gave us that extra story to tell when we came back home.
Good story.
Thanks.
LOL!! Very refreshing! ;D
Heh 🙂 Thanks.
That broke the fight up, I take it?
Scott
Mine: http://kindredspirit23.wordpress.com/2013/05/01/4502/
Maybe it continued outside. Thanks for your comment, Scott.
Thank you. A wonderful story and an even better back-story relating your personal experiences. Just wonderful!
Interest and grandeur tend to pile up on the factual memories of the adventures we go on when we’re young; probably what really happened that day was three hours of my brain juggling between boredom and worry …:|
Thanks for your comment, Penny.
How cool that this week’s photo enabled you to draw on your own experience with the house for a story! I enjoyed the voice in your personal narrative as much as I enjoyed your flash fiction!
Thank you for reading till the very end 🙂
Nice story. I guess being stoned is a more mundane and rational explanation for the house coming alive and dragons trying to kill him. 🙂
I really wanted to do a real carnivorous house, but some had already done it before me, so I went with my original assessement of this house: never go inside while on drugs!
Imaginative story — and a nice telling of a memory. Your experience sounds unnerving, with being in a psychedelic house trying to find a lost friend.
Hehe 🙂 yes, it was.
Perfect twist! I was almost thinking “Just. Get. OUT!” until your last line hit me. Thanks for the giggle =)
You’re welcome 🙂
Fun story – and great back story too.
Thanks 🙂
Love the story and your personal story even more… You get me all enthusiastic about booking a trip to Barcelone (without the trip…)
Haha! 🙂 It took me half a minute to get it! Yes, definitely advisable.
Very cool. Being stoned in a building like that could seriously leave an impression. Nice read.
…With possible mental damage! Thanks for your comment EagleAye.
Dear Sandra,
I enjoyed both stories. Not a good place to be stoned in. Amusing take and very interesting story of your own.
shalom,
Rochelle
Thanks a lot Rochelle.
As soon as I read that your friend went missing there I was thinking: see? That house really is creepy. I’m glad you found her and wish it could have been a better trip for you.
Oh, it turned out find in the end…thanks for your comment 🙂
Delightful story. You made me smile. I really liked the cadence of your sentence structure.
No one has ever complimented the cadence of my sentence structure before! Thanks, Christopher, I really appreciate your comment.
Cool story! Trippy! I love the real story behind it!
Thanks 🙂
They do look like bones don’t they, great flash, I thought it was another realm, fantastic twist at the end, lots of atmosphere captured in your words.
Thanks a lot for the lovely comment.
It seems everyone I talk to about Barcelona has great stories from their visits there—it’s a mysterious city! Nice job with the story, Sandra
It has it’s merits, I can tell you that. Thanks for your comment, Brian.