With hands tightly folded, I listen to the doctor’s words – words that will forever change my life.
“I’m sorry… a stroke… it’s very bad,” he says, speaking slowly as if to a child, concerned that grief is drowning out his meaning.
Even so, I’m unprepared for the sight of your flat eyes and lifeless limbs, and pain slices through me like a knife.
Once you were a pilot, soaring high above the clouds, delighting in the sun’s brightness even when there was stormy weather below.
Seeing you this way, earthbound forever, my stricken heart wonders: will your soul take flight?
__________________
Author’s Note: This flash fiction was written in response to a challenge on Lillie McFerrin Writes (found here), ‘the home of five sentence fiction.’ Ms McFerrin’s challenge was to write a story in five sentences based on the word ‘flight.’
Odyssey of a Novice Writer 
This was a very quick and to the point read. Nice!
Having worked with clients who have had strokes, I can tell you that this hit pretty close to home. There is something so tragic about looking into the eyes of someone who is all but paralysed and seeing that sense of utter fear in their eyes, knowing that their soul is still as vital as the youthful body it once inhabited.
Stellar work, Kate! ❤
Thanks, Heather. ❤ It is a sad and scary thing to contemplate. I'm glad you enjoyed the story.
I did, very much so ❤
An incredibly emotional piece. Well done 🙂
Thanks, dear Mishka! ❤
This is excellent – very emotive, and asking a genuine question – is the person you knew still in there, or have they moved on?
Well done.
KT
Thank you for reading and commenting. I’m glad you liked the story. 🙂
Very powerful, Kate–well done. I felt drawn right into the character’s emotions, along for the ride. Very touching.
Thanks, Willow. I’m glad you found the emotions convincing. 🙂
That’s my Kate. Able to pull on our emotions in five sentences. What a talent!
You’re too kind – but thank you making me beam! 😀
That was beautiful. Lucy
Thank you, Lucy!
So many emotions captured this quickly. Neither alive nor dead.
These last words clinch it, “…will your soul take flight?” Once vibrant and then not.
❤
I think people wonder when someone they love takes ill and seems unresponsive if their soul is in there, longing to escape. The same is true when a loved one dies; we wonder if his soul has moved on. That thing that makes each of us unique, does it go on, transcend the earthly realm? A question for theologians and philosophers, and for those who walk in faith.
I’m glad you enjoyed it, Tess. ❤
Yes, I did and I do.
Indeed, you can’t help but wonder and it’s heartbreaking to be in such a situation. I can’t imagine.
Grounded. Every sense. Superb, Kate.
Thanks, friend!
Heartbreaking. It’s amazing that you can create such an emotional response in so few words.
Thank you – it’s a fun challenge to try to get a story/scene pulled together with brevity. I’ve never done the five sentence challenge before and I really enjoyed it. 🙂
You never fail to deliver the best from a single word, Kate
Thank you, Keith; I admit, I do like to take a word and wrap a story around it!
Kate, I enjoy how you take a one word prompt and turn it into a poignant scene. Well done again 🙂
Thanks, Cindy. 🙂
such beautiful blog!
You’re always so kind – thank you!