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- Story Listed as: Fiction For Adults
- Theme: Horror
- Subject: Creatures & Monsters
- Published: 06/28/2020
Art Appreciation
Born 1976, M, from Whitechapel, AustraliaThe dealer bent over to pick up her dropped business card. Leopold’s eyes lingered on her rear—embellished by the gloss of her red leather skirt. He felt no shame. “Are you an aficionado, or are you buying a Goya to make you look like one?”
The man adjusted his glasses and smoothed out his thinning hair. “Truth be told, I’m hoping it will stoke up a love of fine art,” he lied.
“Vell, zis is a fine place to start,” oozed the dealer with a shade of eastern Europe in her voice. “You’re getting a great price. It came to me through... unusual channels.”
Leo stared at the depiction of the god Saturn devouring his son. It creeped him out, but he’d met plenty of women, at his gallery job, who were quite taken by the dark charm of Francisco Goya and his parade of grotesques. The fear turns them on, he guessed as he pulled out his wallet. “I’ll take it.”
“Vhat do you do, if you don’t mind me asking?”
“I’m a security guard... At an art gallery.”
“Pardon my candor, but this salary allows you to buy the art of a master? It’s pricey at even such a huge discount.”
“I have investments and I’ve made some wise financial decisions,” he mumbled as he thought on the recent call to his credit provider, begging for a limit increase.
“You’re an interesting man, Leopold.”
“Yes!”
“Pardon?”
“Oh... Just excited to own a genuine Goyo.”
“Goya.”
“Him too.”
“It vill open your mind.”
“It could use some opening.”
“Do you know much about the artist?”
“A little.”
“So, you know about the curse?”
“Now you’re talking. A piece with a story. Fill me in.” Leo tapped his credit card and entered the pin as he prayed for approval.
“They say there is evil imbued in the canvas. Arcane magic in the paint. If you sit before his work and say his name vonce—is okay. Twice: a little dangerous. Three times is right out.”
Leo swallowed. “What... What happens?”
“I don’t know. You’re crazy if you think I’d even have von of zese in my house.” The dealer handed Leo his receipt. “Enjoy!”
Days later, the painting was delivered and Leopold carefully hung it in his small living room. It seemed to swallow the space like the monster, eating its child, staring out at the world as it did. He felt uneasy at first—less so as the brandy hit its mark. He poured another. By his third snifter, he was feeling bold enough to walk up to the thing and look it right in the face. “You’re not so bad. I mean, once you get past the cannibalism... Infanticide and things. But who am I to judge?” Leo grinned sardonically. “Goya.” Nothing bad happened. “Goya.” The frame smacked the wall. “G—” His phone rang.
“You got that painting hung?”
“That’s not all that’s hung, Penelope. You still coming over to see it?”
“I might. So long as you’re not using it as an excuse to hit on me.”
Leopold fingered his knife. It was recently sharpened and keen to the touch. “You kidding?” I’m a huge fan.”
“Of mine?”
“Of GOYA.”
Leopold dropped his phone when the fingers appeared. They slipped out from behind the artwork and, at first, he’d mistaken them for the legs of a spider. When a wrist followed, his knees buckled. The arm was long and ashen. The face of the thing came with a large mouth. A mouth big enough to swallow a child. Whole.
He vaulted his carcass over the back of his couch, landing hard on one knee. There was a loud snap. Leo breathed hard, tears filling his eyes. He dragged himself toward the front door—it looked a mile away. As he rounded the sofa, his knife came into view. He lunged at it, scooping it up, and grinning victoriously. That’s when the foot crushed his hand.
When they found him, Leo’s face was chewed off and his skull was cracked like an egg—its contents sprayed on the wall. Goya had done his work on Leo the Lady-killer. Art had opened his mind.
Art Appreciation(Jason James Parker)
The dealer bent over to pick up her dropped business card. Leopold’s eyes lingered on her rear—embellished by the gloss of her red leather skirt. He felt no shame. “Are you an aficionado, or are you buying a Goya to make you look like one?”
The man adjusted his glasses and smoothed out his thinning hair. “Truth be told, I’m hoping it will stoke up a love of fine art,” he lied.
“Vell, zis is a fine place to start,” oozed the dealer with a shade of eastern Europe in her voice. “You’re getting a great price. It came to me through... unusual channels.”
Leo stared at the depiction of the god Saturn devouring his son. It creeped him out, but he’d met plenty of women, at his gallery job, who were quite taken by the dark charm of Francisco Goya and his parade of grotesques. The fear turns them on, he guessed as he pulled out his wallet. “I’ll take it.”
“Vhat do you do, if you don’t mind me asking?”
“I’m a security guard... At an art gallery.”
“Pardon my candor, but this salary allows you to buy the art of a master? It’s pricey at even such a huge discount.”
“I have investments and I’ve made some wise financial decisions,” he mumbled as he thought on the recent call to his credit provider, begging for a limit increase.
“You’re an interesting man, Leopold.”
“Yes!”
“Pardon?”
“Oh... Just excited to own a genuine Goyo.”
“Goya.”
“Him too.”
“It vill open your mind.”
“It could use some opening.”
“Do you know much about the artist?”
“A little.”
“So, you know about the curse?”
“Now you’re talking. A piece with a story. Fill me in.” Leo tapped his credit card and entered the pin as he prayed for approval.
“They say there is evil imbued in the canvas. Arcane magic in the paint. If you sit before his work and say his name vonce—is okay. Twice: a little dangerous. Three times is right out.”
Leo swallowed. “What... What happens?”
“I don’t know. You’re crazy if you think I’d even have von of zese in my house.” The dealer handed Leo his receipt. “Enjoy!”
Days later, the painting was delivered and Leopold carefully hung it in his small living room. It seemed to swallow the space like the monster, eating its child, staring out at the world as it did. He felt uneasy at first—less so as the brandy hit its mark. He poured another. By his third snifter, he was feeling bold enough to walk up to the thing and look it right in the face. “You’re not so bad. I mean, once you get past the cannibalism... Infanticide and things. But who am I to judge?” Leo grinned sardonically. “Goya.” Nothing bad happened. “Goya.” The frame smacked the wall. “G—” His phone rang.
“You got that painting hung?”
“That’s not all that’s hung, Penelope. You still coming over to see it?”
“I might. So long as you’re not using it as an excuse to hit on me.”
Leopold fingered his knife. It was recently sharpened and keen to the touch. “You kidding?” I’m a huge fan.”
“Of mine?”
“Of GOYA.”
Leopold dropped his phone when the fingers appeared. They slipped out from behind the artwork and, at first, he’d mistaken them for the legs of a spider. When a wrist followed, his knees buckled. The arm was long and ashen. The face of the thing came with a large mouth. A mouth big enough to swallow a child. Whole.
He vaulted his carcass over the back of his couch, landing hard on one knee. There was a loud snap. Leo breathed hard, tears filling his eyes. He dragged himself toward the front door—it looked a mile away. As he rounded the sofa, his knife came into view. He lunged at it, scooping it up, and grinning victoriously. That’s when the foot crushed his hand.
When they found him, Leo’s face was chewed off and his skull was cracked like an egg—its contents sprayed on the wall. Goya had done his work on Leo the Lady-killer. Art had opened his mind.
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Shirley Smothers
10/10/2022Yikes! A perfect tale for Halloween. Interestingly done. Thank you for sharing.
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Kevin Hughes
10/10/2022Aloha Jason,
Okay, now you have made Art Museums a thing of the macabre...and Goya famous. LOL
is there any object you can't turn into terror?
Congrats on creeping us all out...and making us go look up Goya's work.
Smiles, Kevin
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Lillian Kazmierczak
10/10/2022This was creepy, Well done my friend, very well done! Congratulations on short story star of the day!
ReplyHelp Us Understand What's Happening
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JD
07/01/2020OMG! That was truly horrible! AND horrific! You certainly did this infamous painting justice, Jason! And opened all our minds about art in a really unexpected way in the process. Well done! AWFULLY well done! : )
ReplyHelp Us Understand What's Happening
Jason James Parker
07/03/2020You're right about the "child." That's the key to what makes the piece so disturbing, I think. I'm going to dream about it tonight, I just know it. Lol
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JD
07/02/2020PS about this work... notice how the 'child' does not look anything like a child, nor a 'son', but rather a miniature adult female?
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JD
07/02/2020I agree the arts can make the tough times bearable. I hope that Storystar is helping us all through the difficult times we're in now, even if only a little.
I still paint or create something physical once in a while, but it certainly isn't something I've ever been able to 'sell' either. Most of what I do is more provocative and conceptual rather than decorative, so it doesn't exactly look nice next to the couch, if you know what I mean! : )
You're brilliant, Kevin is brilliant, I'm NOT. I hope I have generally above average intelligence and insight, with occasional words of wisdom, but that's the most I can claim for myself. But thanks for your kind words, Jason! : )
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Gail Moore
06/29/2020Wow, unpredictable ending. I loved it. I don't think I will ever look at art the same. Creepy and fantastic :-)
Well done Jason.
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Jason James Parker
06/29/2020Thanks so much, Gail. I'm so happy you feel that way. Maybe think twice before peeping at your next Picasso. Lol. : )
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Kanishka Roy
06/28/2020I was hoping I wouldn't predict the ending. I didn't and that was satisfying. The flow and detailing is just...disturbing. Dark and brimming! The subtly in the very beginning of how he was a lady-killer is a great Easter egg that makes the read even more satisfying!
ReplyHelp Us Understand What's Happening
Jason James Parker
06/28/2020Thank you for reading, Kanishka, and for your attention to detail. You never fail to pick up on my intentions. I'm really glad the ending wasn't predictable. : )
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Aziz
06/28/2020As usual, thete is always something new. Your touch is so apparent Jason.
Good job
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Jason James Parker
06/28/2020Thank you, Aziz. Your words are always encouraging and motivating. : )
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