The Tears of an Abandoned House: What Do You See?

Standing in the garden of the old English manor house, I had a vision of the people who had lived and loved here for centuries. I looked at the walls, and I thought of the joy this room’s beauty must have given countless owners before the pain began to flake and strips of the wallpaper peeled away. The mirror on the wall could tell stories of the ones who sashayed in front of it, primping their hair, clothes, and makeup before leaving out of the door, reassured of their perfection. I pictured tea parties, a great output of various kinds of tea, cucumber sandwiches, fairy cakes, sponge cakes, and biscuits.

But someone became too complacent and let the house slide into decrepitude. The days when ladies and gents swooned over each other as they walked down the stairs or danced in the great hall were over. All that is left are the memories hidden in the walls, secrets that will never be shared. I believe the rust cascading down the walls derives from the tears of this old house, as it hopes that someone will see its potential for beauty once again and save it from this embarrassment.

Written for What Do You See #204 from Sadje at Life After 50 for Women. When I travel to Europe and visit ruins, I can almost see the people in the rooms and in the hallways, and I shudder to think how much joy and sorrow once resided there. Fandango One Word Challenge is Vision. Ragtag Daily Prompt is Complacent. The Word of the Day Challenge is Mirror. The Daily Spur prompt is Output. The Three Things Challenge #M455 from Pensiitivity 101 are Paint, Strip, and Flake.