This year’s a different thing, –
I’ll not think of you.
— Charlotte Mew, from “I so liked spring”
Five years ago:
“I swear, they wait until I fall asleep to come in and do their pusher, scavenger, and vampire duties,” you whisper from the rumpled bed.
The dark circles under your eyes match the purple blossoming at the intravenous entry point. The ill-fitting gown falls off of one of your gaunt, pale shoulders.
You shiver. “I’m so cold. I swear these rooms are prep for the morgue.”
I stand from a vinyl-upholstered lounge chair and adjust the too-few and too-thin covers and say, “I’ll go to the nurses station and ask if they’ll bring more blankets.”
I make the request and exchange a few words with the staff. When I get back to your room, you’re gone. God’s unfathomable mistake: kids who die before parents.
~
February’s sunny days continue. This year’s a different thing, – I’ll not think of you.
[144 words]
Merril is today’s host of dVerse’ Prosery. Merril says:
Write a piece of flash fiction or other prose up of up to or exactly 144 words, including the given line from the poem.
Tao Talk 
Oh–all the feelings with this one, Lisa. I did not expect that ending.
I have friends who have experienced this.
I hope this is fiction for you.. And if not, sending hugs. 💙
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It’s pure fiction of losing a child for me. One of my former co-workers lost a young adult daughter and I know what it has done to her. Thanks, Merril.
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I’m glad to hear it’s fiction for you, and I’m so sorry for your co-worker. 😢
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Oh my, Lisa, a sad story. The description of the child’s eyes, the ‘purple blossoming at the intravenous entry point and the ill-fitting gown that ‘falls off of one of her gaunt, pale shoulders’ is so effective.
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Thanks, Kim. With this quote I can see why the mind thinks it is in charge and can simply make such a decision and it will be so.
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This was so good, Lisa—poignant… the ending grabbed me in the heart!
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Thank you so much, Colleen ❤
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You’re so welcome!
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Oh a very sad story, Lisa! Well done.
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Thank you so much, Dwight.
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You are welcome!
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There is no way to fill that hole. (K)
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❤
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A sad tale, our prompt phrase invites them. You did well, a little surprise at the end, sad as well.
..
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Thanks much, Jim.
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So much said in so few words Li. Heartbreaking
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Sadje, thank you. Witnessing what it does to the parent, I tried to channel the feeling.
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You wrote it so well. You’re welcome
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It seems un-natural that a child should go before a parent. Yet, it happens. There is sadness that I think never goes away. As a reader, I can feel the grief.
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Truedessa thank you for your thoughtful comment.
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Pretty dark but well- written story. The thought of a parent losing their child is pretty terrifying. Sadly, it does happen, and with the youth suicide rate in the U.S. at its highest in more than 20 years, unfortunately, things have gotten worse!
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Wow, Christian, I didn’t know that about the youth suicide rate 😦 Kids need to know someone is listening, they need to feel their parents’ affection/acceptance, and probably just as important they need grounding. Thank you.
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It’s pretty grim. Safe to assume the pandemic made it even worse!
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Did you hear about the shootings at MSU in East Lansing? Thinking about those poor parents left behind 😦
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Absolutely horrible! The amount of shootings in this country is off the charts. Many of them aren’t even reported.
I think there are way too many guns floating around in the U.S., and it’s way too easy for people to get their hands on them. Of course, that’s not the only issue, but I’m convinced it’s a significant contributor.
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I think you know I used to work as a juvenile probation officer? You would be frightened if you knew how many guns were floating around. Easy to get them and easy for teens to use them. The teens mostly pick each other off in the city, and the teens in the country just have them for the most part. But these sickos are mostly adults and/or seriously mentally ill individuals that people are too afraid to do much about, especially when our mental health system is totally broken. It’s only after they snap that they become visible 😦
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Sadly, I think you’re right. Oftentimes, it’s hard to see the signs that somebody is about to snap. Obviously, it’s impossible to track everybody.
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It’s a hard reality that those parents have to face. I can’t fathom that pain, Lisa. I hope this was fictional, if it’s real then, I’ll pray for you, dear friend.
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Jay, I can’t either. It’s 100% fictional, although I did use some elements of when my mom has been in the hospital.
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Burying a child is one of the most heartbreakingly unnatural things a parent can do. So sad.
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I know what it did to my co-worker 😦
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Must have been devastating 😦
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Sad sad tale and often true. I can’t imagine it. The world would stop.
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How cold that uncomfort is, for the parent left behind. When my big sister died at 38, our mum never fully recovered from losing her firstborn. The image you have included reminds me how icy and unapproachable my mum was at Cally’s funeral… Grief takes many clothes …
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Kathy, I’m sorry to bring those memories back to you. Losing your sister so young couldn’t have been easy and it sounds like your mom was not emotionally available to you in your suffering and grief 😦
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You actually help me by saying out the hard-to-say. Emotional unavailability is a big theme in my past and is relevant to how I relate to others now. Thank you 🙂
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❤ {{{HUGS}}}
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Hugs mirrored back to you, Lisa, with (tangible appreciation} ❤
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Oh! This is sad, Li. Your writing moved me much. 🙂
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Thank you, Kitty.
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