Flickr Fiction
‘In sickness and in health.’
Those were the vows she took. Spoken a million times before in a thousand different languages by doe-eyed young women and men. She hadn’t taken it seriously then. Just more words in a ceremony that was growing old and stale.
‘In Sickness…’
‘Does this count?’ She wondered. ‘How ill must I be?’
He’d left her with squalling babies, dirty laundry in a steam filled kitchen on a rainy day. More words, this time a different kind of ceremony.
‘It’s not you, it’s me.’
‘I want us to stay friends’
Walking out he hadn’t looked back. Hadn’t kissed the kids goodbye.
‘Sickness…’
The voices echoed round the chamber. Echoed round her mind. The doctors said she had a good chance of recovery. Better than average they said. But the lies shot like arrows from their eyes and their tools continued to tunnel through her flesh.
The kids were grown now. Moved away and making their own ceremonies, speaking their own words. They weren’t the only ones. She too, had her own ceremonies. Sacraments and rites unshared.
‘Sick’
The damp cloth on her head, wrapped round her eyes, felt briefly cool. It didn’t help. Nothing would.
‘A placebo effect’ said the medics. She didn’t care. These small things she did, this faith. It would not see her through. No matter.
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Inspired by we can rebuild you by Flckr user Lauren.rabbit. Hmm, don’t know what that’s about or where it came from. Check out the usual suspects: The Gurrier, Chris, Linus, Tadmack, LittleGoat and Aquafortis.
Wow! That’s — stunning, and I mean it in a good way. I have had to go back and read it again and again — it is excellently desolate and amorphous and tinted with shades of grief and loss and an unhappiness so vast it doesn’t matter anymore. Really great job!
Comment by TadMack — September 25, 2006 @ 7:57 pm
Yeah the intelligent stuff what Tadmack said. S’all emotive and stuff innit.
Liked it.
Comment by Donal — September 26, 2006 @ 7:40 pm