PHOTO PROMPT © Dawn Miller
“What do you think, Myrna?”
Myrna sat hunched on the pastel green vinyl hospital rocker next to mother’s bed, her hand resting softly on the woven cotton blanket covering her mother’s inert foot.
It had been six months on the respirator, with tube feedings, and no indicators of improvement.
Doctors had a prototype device that could see the patient’s thoughts but it mean cranial drilling and jack installation.
Myrna needed to be sure.
“Yes, Jack.”
Post-operative recovery complete, staff activated the device and plugged mother in.
An image flickered to life on the screen.
Mother was headed home.
[100 words]
Rochelle Wisoff-Fields is the steady host of Friday Fictioneers.
Tao Talk 
This out of focus picture is disturbing.
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I know! It is! That’s the picture we were given and a difficult one to spark a story with. Nothing happy was coming to mind.
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Poignant!
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Thank you very much.
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A pleasure 🙏
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I like what you turned the prompt into, great take.
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Thank you, Iain!
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I wonder if it wouldn’t have been easier for Mother if they’d just let her go to begin with. But then I guess it is always about us and not about them. Good, thought-provoking story!
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Sascha, thank you, I appreciate your comment, and yes and yes.
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Great use of the prompt, Jade
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Thank you, Neil. It had me stumped at first.
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I feel you used the blurred image to perfection, much like what a person may see coming out of drug induced sleep, it was hazy and out of focus. agreed that the path you took gave deeper meaning to the prompt.
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Gina thank you for your take on the photo.
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I love your take on the prompt! Unique and very creative. I enjoyed this story, Lisa.
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Thank you, Susan :)
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Dear Lisa,
Would that we had such a device. Happy journey to the other side, mother. Imaginative story. This touched me, as my mother in law passed away after we watched her die for 7 years. (Alzheimer’s)
Shalom,
Rochelle
Rochelle
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Rochelle, thank you and so glad you connected with the story. Watching a loved one’s 7 years of Alzheimer’s disintegration couldn’t have been easy.
Shalom,
Lisa
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That device would be nice…whew…that picture makes me dizzy.
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Yes it’s a strange effect on the photo. I don’t like the idea of “drilling and jacking” a coma victim but if they are in a coma they (hopefully) don’t feel any pain.
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Yea…not drawing on Life On Mars but I have read where some people do make their own worlds in their mind to keep them busy.
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The mind is a tyrant, it demands as much of your attention as you’ll allow it to have. You’re right, some people disappear into it. Some world-building authors have made a fortune off of it. BTW, I did find Ashes to Ashes at netflix disks so will be able to see it. Yay!
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Bailey and I are watching Ashes to Ashes now. It’s been a while and I haven’t watched it multiple times so it’s like watching it for the first time. Gene changes with the times… a little anyway…but he still is Gene.
You find out what happened.
King would be one of those authors.
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I loved the ambiguity of ‘heading home’. This one will stay with me a while.
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Thank you, Sandra, and I’m glad you saw the ambiguity.
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Powerful story!!
Susan A Eames at
Travel, Fiction and Photos
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Thank you, Susan :)
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Ooh, I don’t like the sound of that device. I like how you used the blur in the photo.
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There is a definite creep factor to the device. Thanks for reading and your comment, Ali.
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Tough decisions in real life. A thought provoking story. Well done!
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Thank you, Brenda.
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Like the story.
Love the last line.
Appalled by the device.
We have no right to see someone’s thoughts.
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Thank you for reading and commenting. I agree about the device. There are places machines have no right to go.
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Well, that’s different! Not sure I’m keen on that contraption though!
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I hear you. Sometimes better to let nature take its course…
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Ohhhh, what a positively frightening story here. To live by machine is NOT to live at all, in my book. If I’m ever in such a state, someone pleaaasssseee be merciful and kill me. I’m serious in that! Great story!
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Bear, understood. I wouldn’t want this used on me in my final days/weeks/months on earth. I’d rather be unhooked from all machines and fade out.
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Every sad time needs an uplifting end, which you did.
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Thank you, James.
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heading home, after being hospitalized for a long time, familiar sights must look blurry indeed.
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Thank you for reading and commenting.
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Well you’ve turned me a bit queasy. Well done.
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Sorry! Thanks!
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Great piece. Nice take on the prompt.
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Thank you, Susan.
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Such an inventive take on the photo, Lisa. Though I have to say the existence of such a device makes my stomach turn…
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Let’s hope it never happens. The existing machines to prolong life of all ages and conditions goes too far already. Some things should be left to God, not man.
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A very inventive take on the prompt, Jade. What a shame they couldn’t have let mother go without such delay and invasive procedures.
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Exactly, Penny. Thank you for reading and commenting.
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Oooooooo now this is a fascinating scifi I would read more of. Well done.
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Glad you enjoyed it, Laurie, thanks!
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It wouldn’t surprise me at all, if we could see people’s thoughts at the end of life, to find that’s what we all would like to do. Go home.
Really interesting take on the prompt, Jade.
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Thank you very much, Linda. Me neither.
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A poignant take on the prompt, Li.
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Thank you, Magarisa.
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You’re welcome.
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Interesting take! As intrusive as the device is, I imagine it’s better than a prolonged stay on life support. Or should we assume, at some point, life support is basically torture? Definitely thought-provoking.
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Yes, it would safe a lot of suffering if used right away. Good thought! Thanks for reading and commenting.
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Interesting take on the prompt!
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A dystopian gothic
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