Green Tea 19 & Watermelon 15
Author: Casey
Story: Nothing is Ever Easy universe, Post NIEE
Challenges: Green Tea 19 (fashionably late) & Watermelon 15 (where did everybody go?)
Toppings & Extras: Caramel (very Caramel indeed)
Word Count: 379
Rating: PG
Summary: It is time.
Notes: This prompt gave me so much problem. And my solution made me sad.
He’s old. He was always old, compared to the others.
He’s ninety-four, which is ancient for his time. He never should have lived this long. Never should have been born and never should have outlived anyone let alone almost everyone he cares about.
His sister’s been gone almost two decades.
Her husband, even longer.
His best friend over five.
His son is past seventy, for the sake of the gods, but at least he hasn’t outlived the next generation. Or the generation after that or even his great-grandchildren, which there seem to be more of every year, especially since he considers his niece’s grandchildren to be as closely related to him as his son’s.
Let’s not even mention his brother, who has been gone fifty-nine years. He could give the number of months and days (and could for his sister as well) but knows that’s not necessary.
Now, though, he knows he’s dying. It’s all he can do to get up each day and get to a chair, where he watches the world go around him. He’s ready for it, has accepted it, and will not shrink when it calls. In fact, he’ll welcome it.
The world has been a long succession of ups and downs and rarely afford him a moment of peace until well into his retirement, which did not come early. Now, looking at how far Tira has come and how steady it is under his great-nephew’s hand, he regrets nothing. Everything turned out for the best.
He thinks of the beyond to come. He’s never been a religious person. Tirans, as a rule, are not, but he suspects, one way or another, he’ll see his sister when he leaves, if only so she can laugh and tell him he was always late to the important things.
Then he can smile, in return, and tell her she’s full of it, and tell her that her great-grandchildren are beautiful, smart, capable children and that everything is right.
That’s the important thing, he thinks.
Despite all that happened, the things he’s done and the things others have done, everything was right and would stay right.
Peace.
He relaxes. That’s all he’s ever wanted.
Let go, whispers in on the wind, sounding just like his sister.
So he does.
Story: Nothing is Ever Easy universe, Post NIEE
Challenges: Green Tea 19 (fashionably late) & Watermelon 15 (where did everybody go?)
Toppings & Extras: Caramel (very Caramel indeed)
Word Count: 379
Rating: PG
Summary: It is time.
Notes: This prompt gave me so much problem. And my solution made me sad.
He’s old. He was always old, compared to the others.
He’s ninety-four, which is ancient for his time. He never should have lived this long. Never should have been born and never should have outlived anyone let alone almost everyone he cares about.
His sister’s been gone almost two decades.
Her husband, even longer.
His best friend over five.
His son is past seventy, for the sake of the gods, but at least he hasn’t outlived the next generation. Or the generation after that or even his great-grandchildren, which there seem to be more of every year, especially since he considers his niece’s grandchildren to be as closely related to him as his son’s.
Let’s not even mention his brother, who has been gone fifty-nine years. He could give the number of months and days (and could for his sister as well) but knows that’s not necessary.
Now, though, he knows he’s dying. It’s all he can do to get up each day and get to a chair, where he watches the world go around him. He’s ready for it, has accepted it, and will not shrink when it calls. In fact, he’ll welcome it.
The world has been a long succession of ups and downs and rarely afford him a moment of peace until well into his retirement, which did not come early. Now, looking at how far Tira has come and how steady it is under his great-nephew’s hand, he regrets nothing. Everything turned out for the best.
He thinks of the beyond to come. He’s never been a religious person. Tirans, as a rule, are not, but he suspects, one way or another, he’ll see his sister when he leaves, if only so she can laugh and tell him he was always late to the important things.
Then he can smile, in return, and tell her she’s full of it, and tell her that her great-grandchildren are beautiful, smart, capable children and that everything is right.
That’s the important thing, he thinks.
Despite all that happened, the things he’s done and the things others have done, everything was right and would stay right.
Peace.
He relaxes. That’s all he’s ever wanted.
Let go, whispers in on the wind, sounding just like his sister.
So he does.