The Folding Frame
by Oren Cedar
Introduction
In the sultry embrace of the American South, amidst the lush magnolias and sprawling plantations, lived Alma and Henry, a couple whose lives were forever intertwined by fate's mysterious design. Their story unfolds against the backdrop of the nineteenth century, a time of grace and grandeur, but also of secrets and shadows. Savannah, Georgia, with its cobblestone streets and Spanish moss-draped oaks, serves as the beguiling stage for their enthralling tale.
As the sun dips low in the prelude to 1860, the city of Savannah finds itself bathed in a twilight of both promise and trepidation. Alma, a woman of beauty and strength, graces the grand halls of their antebellum hotel, a mansion that echoes with the whispers of generations past. Her every step seems choreographed by grace itself, but beneath her poise, a flicker of apprehension dances in her eyes.
Henry, Alma's husband, is a man of profound intellect and quiet introspection. He carries himself with the air of a gentleman from another era, a scholar entwined with the secrets of forgotten tomes. His mind is a sanctuary of knowledge, but it too harbors a sense of unease as the shadows lengthen in the corners of their elegant world.
Their tranquil existence is shattered by a series of dark and suspenseful events that unfurl like a storm cloud gathering over the tranquil Savannah skyline. Mysterious occurrences, whispers of voodoo, and inexplicable phenomena plague their once-peaceful lives, thrusting them into a world where reality blurs with the supernatural.
But it is not until they encounter a hobo in the confines of a dusty train boxcar that their journey takes a truly extraordinary turn. This vagabond, a wandering soul with a tattered hat and piercing eyes, possesses a power that defies explanation. She can read minds, a gift or curse that grants her access to the innermost thoughts and desires of those she encounters. And with this uncanny ability comes a profound understanding of the world's hidden truths.
As Alma and Henry's paths intertwine with this enigmatic stranger, they are drawn into a web of intrigue, danger, and revelation. The hobo's mind-reading abilities unlock secrets they never dared to share with each other, as well as the enigmas concealed within their own souls.
In "The Folding Frame," we invite you to journey alongside Alma and Henry as they navigate the labyrinthine mysteries of their time, their city, and the depths of their own hearts. As you turn the pages of this tale, prepare to be ensnared by the dark and suspenseful events that will lead you down a mesmerizing path, where reality blurs with the mystical, and the power of the mind unlocks secrets that defy the boundaries of possibility.