50 Word Thursday #104 – Hoarder

The Rules:

• Find the muse within the photo or line provided and follow where it leads. It can be a story, anecdote, poem. Anything!
• The Story must be between 50 and 250 words, in 50 word increments. (so 50, 100, 150, 200 or 250 words)
• Link back to this post with the tag 50WordThurs so that everyone can find it, or post your response in the comments below.

The words: “Cowards”, Ida Belle yelled out the front door. – Louisiana Longshot – Jana DeLeon

Here is my submission – 200 words 🙂

Walking into the house, we didn’t know what to expect. We heard she was a hoarder, so we prepared ourselves for at least some conflict. Ida Belle was nice, at first. She made us tea from a rusted kettle on her maggot-ridden stove. We politely declined. 

“We’re just here to do a job,” I assured her.

“What job? To rid a poor old woman of her life’s accomplishments?”

I looked around. Nothing but trash, up to the ceiling in some areas. And the stench…otherworldly.

A rat ran across my foot.

“Don’t mind him,” said Ida Belle, “that’s Bartholomew.”

Another darted along the windowsill.

“That’s Rufus.”

“How many rats do you have?” I ask.

“At least a hundred.”

“And you named them all?”

She scoffed. “Do you not name your pets?”

“Sorry, Ida-”

“Ida Belle.”

“But, I think you need an exterminator before the clean-up.”

The look on her face was like Sophie’s Choice.

“We’ll return once you get this infestation under control.”

“How DARE you call my babies an infestation!” she hollered.

I did feel bad for her as we packed up and made our way outside.

“Cowards,” Ida Belle yelled out the front door as we drove away. 

Please visit the link to submit your own take on the prompt or just enjoy other’s, https://debbiewhittam.wordpress.com/2021/01/01/50-word-thursday-104/