The Woman Who Weeps Along the Creek

A Short Story

By: Anthony Pond

Narrated by: Brian Pederson

Taking a stab at freelance journalism, Ryan Jordan tackles the legend of La Llorona, a ghostly woman from colonial days who drowned her children near San Juan Capistrano Mission. At the old Spanish mission, he sees documentation in dusty manuscripts that seems to support the legend. He also encounters skepticism. Pressing further, he interviews the city historian who directs him to the residents of the old town alongside the creek near the mission. The local people have their stories of the cursed woman. These tales and evidence of sightings compel him to investigate the creek where the ghastly deaths supposedly occurred many years ago. What Ryan encounters down alongside the flowing water of the creek challenges his perceptions of reality.

©2024 Anthony Pond (P)2025 Anthony Pond

The different origin stories of the legend

Pond creates a very intriguing setting. The characters have depth and bring the story to life. One of the things I most appreciated was how he conveyed historical information without being preachy or stodgy. He interwove the details through the dialogue with the characters. Honestly, when the story ended, I was wanting it to continue. I was so invested, and I wanted to know what the camera caught. This has been a persistent legend in my culture, so I really enjoyed this contemporary exploration.