Barred
by Susan Dawson
Genre: Drama
Written by Susan Dawson and narrated by Lauren Rodriguez
This audio story Copyright ©2020 by Susan Dawson
A BIBLIOPHONE 1000 Words Heard for INARA competition winner!
A young girl, Mirela, has a regular nightmare. In it she re-lives the events which led to the death of both parents and her time in an orphanage, where she suffered from neglect. There is a recurring theme of bars: those that imprisoned her father, the stripes on her mother's slashed wrist, and the sides of the disgusting cot in which she was placed. These contrast with the shiny safe bed rails she wakes up to since being adopted into a welcoming home. The orphanage staff appear in the dream as shadows in the gloom. Only one of them was kind and caring, and later suffered for it. The story ends as Mirela wakes on her sixth birthday, when her strength and confidence are beginning to grow in her new surroundings.
about the author
Susan writes mainly short stories, initially shared with her WEA (Workers’ Educational Association) creative writing class. She has been successful in two short story competitions, and has had stories published on Funnypearls.com. Her blog on www.susanpics.com combines her interest in photography and writing.
about the narrator
Lauren Rodriguez was born and raised in Texas. Depending on the season, she may be home in Austin, TX or enjoying the sun in Los Angeles, CA. She has a background in music and a BA in theatre. Her love of performing in plays and musical theatre helped shape her passion for using her voice to tell stories behind a microphone.
Lauren's website: www.laurenrodriguezvo.com