I wish I could say that I can't relate to this story, @lordtimoty. But unfortunately, it felt all too real to me. I grew up with a mother who had an iron fist. Metaphorical sink holes ruled my childhood. (Though of course it is more complex than that. She also loved us with all her heart, and I think that bizarre dichotomy was more challenging for my sensitive child mind and heart to manage than a pure tyrant would have been.) I suspect we could have a long chat in a pub together over the power certain individuals can wield in a family dynamic, and how these themes inspire stories, and have in fact influenced literature throughout the ages.

I'll have you know that your story launched a rather intense conversation in The Ink Well admin space. We all had different takes on the story and the meaning of its ending. But suffice it to say that we all found it to be a spectacular, thought-provoking tale.