Summary: Ben’s delirium leaves him haunted.<\/p>\n
Word Count: 609\u00a0 \u00a0Rating: K+<\/p>\n
Written for 2018 Better Later Than Never Challenge and the 2017 Challenge: Once Upon A Midnight Dreary<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The Black Letter “C”<\/strong><\/p>\n Fevered, weak, and sickly lay Ben Cartwright on that awful day.<\/span><\/p>\n A voice rang out; in desperation he looked about to see.<\/span><\/p>\n The haunting voice came taunting, in his mind relentlessly taunting,<\/span><\/p>\n A sanity daunting taunting of things past and things to be,<\/span><\/p>\n Taunting, taunting no escape from suffering, death, and calamity.<\/span><\/p>\n The mark of the Cartwright curse — a black letter \u201cC\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Conjured memories of dear Elizabeth, his ears pounded with her final breath.<\/span><\/p>\n The pall of death was all he could see.<\/span><\/p>\n Grief came crashing, like ocean waves crashing, <\/span><\/p>\n Fear and dread came crashing like a savage sea.<\/span><\/p>\n Crashing, crashing, his hopes and dreams dashing, dreams that would never be.<\/span><\/p>\n The mark of the Cartwright curse — a black letter \u201cC\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Sweet Inger appeared next in his delirious vision; the voice scoffed at him in mad derision.<\/span><\/p>\n The arrow of death jolted him from his blessed reverie.<\/span><\/p>\n Grief came rolling, like a wagon wheel rolling,<\/span><\/p>\n Rolling his soul to dust as someday it would be.<\/span><\/p>\n Rolling, rolling, life keeps rolling, though his burdens great and heavy they be.<\/span><\/p>\n The mark of the Cartwright curse — a black letter \u201cC\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n His stunning wife, just wed anew, Ben gasped, the future now coming into his view.<\/span><\/p>\n The voice shrieked in pain, a thrashing steed he did see.<\/span><\/p>\n Grief came upon him crushing, like a millstone crushing,<\/span><\/p>\n His soul crushing though sons he had three.<\/span><\/p>\n Crushing, crushing, his soul crushing, despite owning the Ponderosa — Pine Tree.<\/span><\/p>\n The mark of the Cartwright curse — a black letter \u201cC\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cLove for your son, your very first born, will leave your heart rent and sorely torn.<\/span><\/p>\n He wants not your empire!\u201d The voice shouted with glee.<\/span><\/p>\n A heart destined for wandering, unsettled and wandering,<\/span><\/p>\n Perpetually wandering over the land and sea.<\/span><\/p>\n Wandering, wandering, continually wandering, \u201cThe prince of your kingdom he never will be!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n The mark of the Cartwright curse — a black letter \u201cC\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cHis mother\u2019s heart will be his guiding light; serving others, not self, his defining plight.<\/span><\/p>\n Not even a pure heart will save him\u201d, the voice cried with disdain, \u201cYou\u2019ll see!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n A father in grief drowning, miserably drowning,<\/span><\/p>\n To the depths drowning in a black sea.<\/span><\/p>\n Drowning, drowning, in the abyss drowning, for no return shall there be.<\/span><\/p>\n The mark of the Cartwright curse — a black letter \u201cC\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cHis mother\u2019s fiery spirit will become his fine art, and still he will be the delight of your heart.<\/span><\/p>\n His beloved wife and child\u201d, the voice cackled shrill, \u201cwill suffer the same fate as your wives three.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n In grief his life burning, \u00a0FOREVER burning,<\/span><\/p>\n With pain and vengeance burning, his heart will be.<\/span><\/p>\n Burning, burning, your heart will be churning, to watch your child suffer, suffer like thee.<\/span><\/p>\n The mark of the Cartwright curse — a black letter \u201cC\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Then awaking with beaded brow and quaking heart, Ben gave his family a frightful start.<\/span><\/p>\n His fevered stupor giving way to a clear mind and eyes that truly see.<\/span><\/p>\n His heart began rejoicing, gladly rejoicing,<\/span><\/p>\n With sweet rejoicing to be with Marie, Adam, Hoss, and Joseph was he.<\/span><\/p>\n Rejoicing, rejoicing, in relief rejoicing, the voice now silent and the fateful mark nowhere to see.<\/span><\/p>\n The mark of the Cartwright curse — \u00a0a black letter \u201cC\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n But later in the dark of night, on the lamplit wall appeared a horrific sight.<\/span><\/p>\n And the voice returned with frenzied fury despite Ben\u2019s begging and pitiful plea.<\/span><\/p>\n The haunting voice came taunting, filling his mind with relentless taunting,<\/span><\/p>\n A sanity daunting taunting of things that would most assuredly come to be.<\/span><\/p>\n Taunting, taunting, determined and vaunting, no escaping the suffering, death, and calamity.<\/span><\/p>\n The mark of the Cartwright curse — a black letter \u201cC\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Tags:\u00a0 Ben Cartwright, Grief<\/p>\n