Post 1625. Tuesday January 30
A pinch of his fingers and the flame went out, the heady scent of lilies that moments earlier filled the room repressed by the reek of smokey tallow.
He sat back and sighed.
*
Days, weeks, months he’d waited. A vigil beside her bed. Did she know he was there? Could she sense the sadness he felt?
There she lay in a tangle of wires and tubes like a discarded puppet. No. It wasn’t fair, not on her, not on him. It was pointless. ‘Why?’ he wondered.
‘Why not?’ he thought. So he did.
Then he stood and felt his way across the darkened room, into the hallway and out into the street. The glistening sun assaulted his weary eyes and a blanket of warmth embraced him; welcomed him to a new beginning.
What became of him nobody knows. He just left, never to be seen again.
Word count 149
Flash Fiction for Aspiring Writers is hosted by Priceless Joy and this week’s photo prompt is by Goroyboy.
An intense story from you for a change Keith. I liked it. Just to be clear, he snuffed out his wife’s life, who was on life-support?
Indeed he did Anurag. The clue was in the title – why not? Thanks for being the first to drop by!
It is tempting to think we could just get up and disappear, off to lead another life, but. as with this character, to do so is to leave our responsibilities to others behind. Good moral quandary this one.
He saw no point in her situation, nor his. A quandary indeed.Thanks, Iain.
I interpret it as an after death experience. Great write.
That certainly is one possibility, that he departed this life together with her. Cheers YS
A horrible dilemma. At what point do you say “good-bye” and start over?
I felt he had reached that point and it was time for both of them to move on. Thanks, James.
I was riveted by this story, really effective succinctness. Guess we all have wondered what it would be like to be in the man’s situation …
Indeed we have, and one day… who knows? Thanks so much WWM
Poor guy! His sadness consumed him to go into the light and disappear. Great story Keith!
It has PJ. Thank you.
It’s so hard to watch someone linger that way. My hope is he is free now.
I can’t imagine what it’s like and I hope I never go through it. Thanks mimi..
You captured the waiting perfectly and the metaphor of the candle being snuffed out as he snuffs out his wifes suffering, ending the inevitable and the waiting. I wonder what his new beginning will be. It is not that easy to start over although perhaps he’d grieved during the waiting and it was time to move on. Great story.
Thanks so much Irene. Hopefully, he has left the grieving behind
Fight or flight, Very relatable Keith
Thanks so much, thanks also for the picture.
Incredibly written as always! One of my personal faves of your stories…Keep writing! Cheers 🙂
Thank you so much for your generous words, Tina. I fully intend to!
Keith, this was an intense story from you. I had to read twice to understand. I hope it is not illegal and he does not face consequences for his actions. Or did he kill himself too?
He switched off her life support and fled Meena. Illegal? Yes! Thanks for dropping by and commenting.