The Telling Bone

Introduction

This was kicked off by Catweazle's name for the telephone. Catweazle was a medieval sorcerer who ended up in modern times (the nineteen seventies). The full episode is all over Youtube and most of my readers might not even recognise what he is holding as a landline telephone handset.

Then I thought the phrase "Telling Bone" could actually be a quite sinister prompt, so this is a far darker take on the phrase than Catweazle's.

Note this is quite disturbing, which is why it has been placed in the Vocal Horror Community. This is the only warning I will give.

The Telling Bone (A Tarotale of Dark Things)

His life was falling apart, he had lost his job, his girlfriend had left him, he had no savings, and he would soon be homeless. He did not have a clue what to do.

Some friends took him out for a drink, but he could not stand his round. One of his friends said he had heard of a woman, a voodoo seeress, a witch or something who had supposedly helped some people out of impossibly bad situations. His friend made a few calls and got a street name.

He didn't have a house name or number, or the name of the lady but it was a direction to take.

Finding The Witch

He found the street, but he didn't have any money, so if she needed paying up front he would be screwed once more. He looked at the houses, most were in states of disrepair but one looked well-maintained and had things hanging from trees and bushes in the garden that most people would never countenance. It looked like the house of a witch.

He opened the iron gate and walked along the cinder path and up the steps to the front door. He knocked and eventually, the door was answered by an older lady who reminded him of Morticia Adams.

MA: "Yes"

Him: "I was told you would be able to help me, I hope I have come to the right house. I am about to lose everything, well I lost my job and girlfriend, and am about to lose my home. I have no money, so I am not sure how I will be able to pay you if you can help you"

MA: "If I can help you, you will have the ability to pay, but first we must check whether I will be able to help you. Sit down they draw three cards from my Tarot Deck"

He sat, she gave him the deck and he drew these three tarot cards.

MA: "The Blade signifies there will be a cutting, and old things will be removed. Death, again, signifies the end of old things and the bones on the card signifies that I can use a 'Telling Bone'. The Devil signifies that there is power looking over you, so if you want to proceed we can do this."

Him: "I need to do this, but how will this go forward and what is a 'Telling Bone'?"

MA: "Come with me downstairs and we will do this"

The Telling Bone Revelation

He followed her downstairs and when they got into the cellar, it was dark and was fitted out like a dungeon with several doors that looked like a medieval prison, stout wood with barred windows. They were not alone, there were two big hooded men, he had thought she was alone, but then reasoned maybe she needed protection.

She told her men "Bring him out and strap him down"

They dragged a frightened man from one of the cells and strapped him to a table. He moaned in fear.

MA: "Now you must cut your 'Telling Bone' from this man, thigh, shin, or from his arm, something with plenty of marrow. I will then split it and drink the marrow. That will give me the power to tell you the path to take to get your life on track. When that happens you will pay me ten thousand, because that will be small change to you."

Him: "No way, if I do that he will die"

MA: "He won't he still has a lot of bones that will be useful to me, waste not, want not. We will keep him alive until he is no use to us".

Him: "I'm not doing it. That is barbaric. You are a devil yourself"

MA: "He came to me to help his family, and like you, refused. His family did not fare too well and now he is paying his way with me. You know I told you that you would be able to pay me, you either go through with this or become one of my 'Telling Bone' sources. The choice is yours........"