Drabble Prompt: A New Old Pain
This is from One Minute Writer.
Friday, November 2, 2012
FFF: Before or After
In this week's FFF, I am giving you a piece of a story. You need to give me a story that leads up to mine or one that would follow. Show me what you got!
She sat in the cafe staring out the window. It was chilly, and a draft came through the old pane. At times, she couldn't tell if it was raining or if her tears were just clouding her vision.
She kept fighting the battle within. The arguments inside her head were so loud she felt the need to physically cover her ears. It made no use; the noise reverberated in her head.
Twenty-seven years had passed; she never saw this coming. How could she have missed the clues? Were there any clues to be missed? She was just so broken inside, distraught and now just...lost.
Title: A New Old Pain
Author: chessie_reeves
Word Count: 423
Caroline chewed on her straw as her fingers unconsciously shredded the napkin on the table. She winced as the icy frappuccino hit the back of her throat and she wanted to scream in frustration. She couldn't do anything right; even the simple task of ordering a hot drink was apparently beyond her skills at the moment.
Fiercely willing the tears not to fall again, she leaned back in her chair and stared sightlessly at the storm brewing outside. It was no use though. Liquid pooled in her eyes as she thought about her beloved William lying on the gurney so silent and so very still. Dr. Chan and her team had done everything they could to save him, but his injuries from the accident were just too extensive. While in the waiting room, she had convinced herself that he would be okay, willfully ignoring clues that all was not well.
Caroline held William's face in her hands and pressed her cheek against his jaw as she said goodbye. She was devastated. Somehow she found herself in this cafe, but now she knew she was just putting off the inevitable. It was time to go to a lonely home filled with nothing but reminders of their now former life together.
After her first horrible experience with love and loss, it took Caroline twenty-seven years to love again. She fought it every single step of the way, arguing endlessly with herself about allowing him to come into her well-ordered life. It took a while, but William somehow wormed his way into her heart with his goofy, happy-go-lucky, affable demeanor and his unconditional love.
The bitter winds pushed ruthlessly at Caroline as she walked home, but she barely felt anything. She paused at the entrance of the park and closed her eyes. This was a favorite spot for both of them; memories of them exploring the twists and turns of the trails were vividly sharp in Caroline's mind.
Home. Taking a deep breath, she entered their home. The first thing she saw was William's dishes and the squeaky red ball he loved so much. Tears began to fall in earnest as Caroline made her way to the mantle. She picked up two pictures and sat down on William's huge pillow, which was a permanent fixture in the living room. She gazed at the furry visages of her beloved dogs, Thomas, who had unexpectedly died thirty-seven years ago when she was a small child, and William, who had been in her life for the past ten years.
Friday, November 2, 2012
FFF: Before or After
In this week's FFF, I am giving you a piece of a story. You need to give me a story that leads up to mine or one that would follow. Show me what you got!
She sat in the cafe staring out the window. It was chilly, and a draft came through the old pane. At times, she couldn't tell if it was raining or if her tears were just clouding her vision.
She kept fighting the battle within. The arguments inside her head were so loud she felt the need to physically cover her ears. It made no use; the noise reverberated in her head.
Twenty-seven years had passed; she never saw this coming. How could she have missed the clues? Were there any clues to be missed? She was just so broken inside, distraught and now just...lost.
Title: A New Old Pain
Author: chessie_reeves
Word Count: 423
Caroline chewed on her straw as her fingers unconsciously shredded the napkin on the table. She winced as the icy frappuccino hit the back of her throat and she wanted to scream in frustration. She couldn't do anything right; even the simple task of ordering a hot drink was apparently beyond her skills at the moment.
Fiercely willing the tears not to fall again, she leaned back in her chair and stared sightlessly at the storm brewing outside. It was no use though. Liquid pooled in her eyes as she thought about her beloved William lying on the gurney so silent and so very still. Dr. Chan and her team had done everything they could to save him, but his injuries from the accident were just too extensive. While in the waiting room, she had convinced herself that he would be okay, willfully ignoring clues that all was not well.
Caroline held William's face in her hands and pressed her cheek against his jaw as she said goodbye. She was devastated. Somehow she found herself in this cafe, but now she knew she was just putting off the inevitable. It was time to go to a lonely home filled with nothing but reminders of their now former life together.
After her first horrible experience with love and loss, it took Caroline twenty-seven years to love again. She fought it every single step of the way, arguing endlessly with herself about allowing him to come into her well-ordered life. It took a while, but William somehow wormed his way into her heart with his goofy, happy-go-lucky, affable demeanor and his unconditional love.
The bitter winds pushed ruthlessly at Caroline as she walked home, but she barely felt anything. She paused at the entrance of the park and closed her eyes. This was a favorite spot for both of them; memories of them exploring the twists and turns of the trails were vividly sharp in Caroline's mind.
Home. Taking a deep breath, she entered their home. The first thing she saw was William's dishes and the squeaky red ball he loved so much. Tears began to fall in earnest as Caroline made her way to the mantle. She picked up two pictures and sat down on William's huge pillow, which was a permanent fixture in the living room. She gazed at the furry visages of her beloved dogs, Thomas, who had unexpectedly died thirty-seven years ago when she was a small child, and William, who had been in her life for the past ten years.