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- Story Listed as: True Life For Teens
- Theme: Family & Friends
- Subject: Flash / Mini / Very Short
- Published: 09/10/2021
Lilly's Storm Cellar
Born 1955, F, from Lovelock, Nevada, United StatesThe storm cellar was a two room underground structure. Where Lilly Lee went to escape the storms of life. It was her fortress of solitude from the lingering fears created by the Dixie Tornados, especially the tornado of 1908.
The first room was simply furnished with two overstuffed chairs facing the window. In front of the chairs was a braided rug. Between the two chairs was a large wooden stool that Lilly repurposed as a table. In the center of the table was a kerosene lamp, a Bible, and a fresh picture of water. Her fortress of solitude had the comfort of home. She had an electric. Light that hung from the ceiling.
The walls were a collage of ancient newspapers, discarded paneling, and family photos. She was proud of her storm pit, as she called it. Every time a visitor came to the house she invited them to see her storm cellar. She bragged that she had fixed it up just like a house. It must have been hard for her guest to imagine living in such cramped spaces. Lilly said she and Morgan had raised their children in less space. I found it hard to imagine living in less space. Lilly, wasn't to be disputed or questioned so, I accepted her word .
Lilly distrusted the bare electric bulb. Her fear was that the bulb would attract the lightning. This was an area where Morgan would not bow to her wishes. She distrusted the windows. Lighting could come through the window and strike her or Morgan. If she had been consulted she would have told Morgan she preferred not to see the storms. She wanted the security when she needed it and she needed someone to tell her when it was safe to go home.
The second room was the sleeping area. In the center of the room was a full size brass bed. Lilly said that the bed had been her and Morgan's wedding bed. Sometime during the years the brass had been painted dark green. Lilly had allowed tarnish to cover the top of the post. They were once silver now, they were tarnish grayish black. The handcrafted mattress reeked of stale muskiness. She and Moses were simple people. This version of their bed suited them better.
Lilly made use of the hollow bedpost. These posts were repurposed into her bank. Whenever there was spare money from Morgan's wages Lilly stashed it inside the bedpost down in her cellar.
Lilly cleaned the storm cellar whenever the weather man, Nash Roberts, on channel 4 issued a storm watch or warning. This was her cue to disinfect everything with Pine Oil and fumigate every nook and cranny of her storm pit. Every spring Lilly sunned the furniture and again in the late fall
If she had been consulted she would have told Morgan she preferred not to see the storms. She wanted the security when she needed it and she needed someone to tell her when it was safe to go home. She wouldn't fault Morgan for trying to protect her.
The storm cellar was a playhouse for my cousins and myself. I was sad when my uncles tore the old storm pit down and burned the remnants. Morgan and Lily needed a storm cellar closer to their house. A new Modern cellar was constructed outside their bedroom over Lilly's strongest objections.
Lilly's Storm Cellar(Martha Hume)
The storm cellar was a two room underground structure. Where Lilly Lee went to escape the storms of life. It was her fortress of solitude from the lingering fears created by the Dixie Tornados, especially the tornado of 1908.
The first room was simply furnished with two overstuffed chairs facing the window. In front of the chairs was a braided rug. Between the two chairs was a large wooden stool that Lilly repurposed as a table. In the center of the table was a kerosene lamp, a Bible, and a fresh picture of water. Her fortress of solitude had the comfort of home. She had an electric. Light that hung from the ceiling.
The walls were a collage of ancient newspapers, discarded paneling, and family photos. She was proud of her storm pit, as she called it. Every time a visitor came to the house she invited them to see her storm cellar. She bragged that she had fixed it up just like a house. It must have been hard for her guest to imagine living in such cramped spaces. Lilly said she and Morgan had raised their children in less space. I found it hard to imagine living in less space. Lilly, wasn't to be disputed or questioned so, I accepted her word .
Lilly distrusted the bare electric bulb. Her fear was that the bulb would attract the lightning. This was an area where Morgan would not bow to her wishes. She distrusted the windows. Lighting could come through the window and strike her or Morgan. If she had been consulted she would have told Morgan she preferred not to see the storms. She wanted the security when she needed it and she needed someone to tell her when it was safe to go home.
The second room was the sleeping area. In the center of the room was a full size brass bed. Lilly said that the bed had been her and Morgan's wedding bed. Sometime during the years the brass had been painted dark green. Lilly had allowed tarnish to cover the top of the post. They were once silver now, they were tarnish grayish black. The handcrafted mattress reeked of stale muskiness. She and Moses were simple people. This version of their bed suited them better.
Lilly made use of the hollow bedpost. These posts were repurposed into her bank. Whenever there was spare money from Morgan's wages Lilly stashed it inside the bedpost down in her cellar.
Lilly cleaned the storm cellar whenever the weather man, Nash Roberts, on channel 4 issued a storm watch or warning. This was her cue to disinfect everything with Pine Oil and fumigate every nook and cranny of her storm pit. Every spring Lilly sunned the furniture and again in the late fall
If she had been consulted she would have told Morgan she preferred not to see the storms. She wanted the security when she needed it and she needed someone to tell her when it was safe to go home. She wouldn't fault Morgan for trying to protect her.
The storm cellar was a playhouse for my cousins and myself. I was sad when my uncles tore the old storm pit down and burned the remnants. Morgan and Lily needed a storm cellar closer to their house. A new Modern cellar was constructed outside their bedroom over Lilly's strongest objections.
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