First published in 2011 anthology Candle in the Attic Window, Josh Reynolds’ short story Elizabeth on the Island is a haunting gothic tale of rain-lashed rocks, troubled memory and inhuman strength. On an unnamed island in an unnamed sea, a lone woman ekes out a harsh existence hunting rats for food and with only the remnants of someone else’s life for company. When her troubled solitude is interrupted by a new presence on the island, the woman who calls herself Elizabeth, who emerged bleeding and bedraggled from the sea into this strange life, must face up to her fear of the unknown.
It’s a dark, ambiguous, atmospheric tale with almost no dialogue but masses of evocative imagery and a simple but intriguing question at its heart – who is Elizabeth and how did she find herself on the island? For all that we barely hear her voice, it’s hard not to sympathise with this forbidding but compelling character, and while Reynolds carefully avoids providing any concrete answers there’s satisfaction to be found in simply exploring the mystery. Whether you recognise and enjoy the references to a certain uber-famous gothic novel or simply take the storytelling at face value, there’s much to enjoy in this creepy, beautifully-written story.
You can read Elizabeth on the Island for free on Josh Reynolds’ Curious Fictions page, where you can also find plenty more stories available to subscribers.