I’m lying absolutely still next to my sleeping son, adrift in my thoughts when I notice his silhouette appearing around the corner, shrouded in darkness and nighttime haze.
“I missed you – I woke up without you again and I thought you’d be here with him but I just had to check…”
His voice is sleep-roughened and thick with shadows as he tucks a blanket around me. He always brings a blanket because he knows how cold I get.
I reach for him, wordlessly, beseeching him to stay, and he folds his tall form down to lie with us, tucking his arm around my waist and nestling his face into the back of my neck before I feel his body start to shake in what has become a familiar movement.
We stay that way until dawn, bound together in love and grief atop the tear-dewed gravestone.
Today’s Six Sentence Story cue was CRUSH. Click the picture to join in and see the other entries.
Oh, Lizzi this is wonderful. We both like those sucker punch endings. 🙂 well done.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes…the sucker-punch endings work well, and I’m SO GLAD you joined in. I thought yours was fab 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Holy crap. 😦 I love your writing but NO FAIR. I’m doing the “lalalalalala” over my heart because I just. can’t.
xxoo
LikeLiked by 1 person
*hugs* Sorry, lovely ❤ And thanks
LikeLiked by 1 person
When I read above, all I can think, recall, is Nick Cave and To Be By Your Side, as you paint your tale in six intricate sentences, a world all in one telling set of moments, as they grip, grasp life’s presences in each of us, what we share, where it takes us in those moments of approaching each morning…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wow…that’s a beautiful compliment…thank you 🙂
LikeLike
This one made me get all teary – at work.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Sorry – I didn’t think I’d need to include NSFW on this!! Eeek!
LikeLike
So beautifully and tenderly written, I could so easily identify with both the feelings and the actions of both of them. What a touching picture of mourning loss and love continuing on. Well done, my friend, very well done!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks. I got stuck in a sad patch last night.
LikeLike
Oh my God, Lizzi. This punched me in the gut; I had to read it again. I hardly EVER read something a second time. Your gift for prose is incredible – seriously.
LikeLiked by 1 person
*glowy* Thank you so much Dana. Wow *grinning*
LikeLiked by 1 person
This surely must a brought a tear to all your readers eyes. What an outstanding and poignant write this is.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I suspect not ALL, but thank you 🙂
LikeLike
Oh, Lizzi. The pain, the comfort, the love in this story. Heart-wrenching is the right word to describe it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
In the end, there IS love for them, isn’t there. And eventually that might heal them. I hope. Thank you Val.
LikeLike
The “sleeping son” was sleeping another kind of sleep…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes indeed…
LikeLike
Oh wow….I’m not sure where you find that darkness but you sure make it a beautiful dark
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m filled with darkness, woven through with glitter and silver linings. Glad it’s still beautiful 🙂
LikeLike
What we call stars in the night are just Lizzi speeding glitter
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hehehe I like that thought.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh, Lizzi. How terribly sad.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes…just what came out to this prompt.
LikeLiked by 1 person
My heart aches for you. This is beautiful. *hugs*
LikeLiked by 1 person
This isn’t my story. Mostly. There were influences but less togetherness. I’m glad you found it beautiful though.
LikeLike
My apologies, I didn’t mean to assume.
LikeLiked by 1 person
No, it’s quite alright. I can see why you might have thought it was autobiographical. My story would have FAR less togetherness and only one of us really heartbroken.
LikeLike
Oh my heart… I sit silent, soaking in your words. Samara nailed it- haunting, magnificent and perfect.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you so much Kitty ❤
LikeLike
You win. I am crying. I think you might have cried as well. Hugs, Love.
LikeLiked by 1 person
*tinyvoice* actually no…I feel terrible. Dead inside maybe… *ashamed*
LikeLike
* uh* hit to gut. Heartwrenching. Wow.
LikeLiked by 1 person
*grins* But it’s brutiful too…
LikeLike
Anything I add would just be redundant, I’ll just stick with WOW.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Awwwh thank you 🙂 *delighted*
LikeLike
This is gorgeous, Lizzi. I love your beautiful stories. xo
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you HUGE 🙂 I’m so pleased you think it’s beautiful 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear…I love everything you write. Seriously. Your nonfiction makes me feel like we are sharing a cup of tea and your fiction makes me think and visualize and feel. You’re the real deal, hon! xo
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ohhhh THANK YOU! Wow…those are both such awesome compliments. And for the record if there is ever a possibility for a cup of tea with you, I AM SO VERY THERE!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh, Lizzi. What a beautiful, painful piece.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you Kristi. I was hoping it would be brutiful rather than just painful.
LikeLike
Oh Honeybee, this was soooo good. Love the words, the twists and the depths of this piece. It tells a big story in only six sentences. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you my sweet one – and yes, HUGE back-story to this, you can tell. I’m not-so-secretly rather pleased with how it came out 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Damn, woman. Beautiful and sad. Poignant. Feels.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you. And yeah. That’s what I was going for 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Have I mentioned how awesome you are. I wanna be you when I grow up.
LikeLiked by 1 person
D’awwwwwh *blushes* You know I wouldn’t have you any other way – you’re plenty awesome by your own self ❤
LikeLike
This is beautiful, it intertwines the feelings of love and grief so powerfully 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you so much. That’s precisely what I was aiming for – we hurt more when we love more…
LikeLiked by 1 person
I think this is so true and also why some people shy away from love, but I believe love is the ultimate human experience and I choose not to lead a half life 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes – it’s something we all crave, deep down, I think. I’m learning to love people more freely and have more friends who I care deeply about. It’s nice.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s great! I have tried to be more open to things and honest in general this year. It is surprisingly harder than it seems, but doing it has landed me in some interesting places. Just this weekend being open to people and experiences landed me in 2 very strange bars and on the back of a Harley 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s kinda badass.
Last night at 3am I had the side of my head shaved, cos I’ve wanted it forever and my hairdresser (who thought she knew best, and tbh *might* have) never let me. But we went and did it anyway. And it looks awesome.
LikeLiked by 2 people
That’s awesome, I don’t think I would be brave enough to do that 🙂 Even though I see it on others and think they look awesome e.g. P!nk and Natalie Dormer I can’t commit to it hahaha.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’ve wanted it for months and never had the guts to take the plunge, but I’m LOVING it. And I figured if I didn’t, it would grow again.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Holy shit!! Amazing. Heartbreaking. I am in awe of your craft. Just amazing. Just tore my heart in half; completely.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ohhh thank you so much! Sorry about your heart, but lovely encouragement of my writing – thank you.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I recently finished Order of Seven and it was fantastic.
LikeLiked by 1 person
YES YES YES SO GOOD 😀 😀 Have you tried Dear Stephanie or Penelope, Countess of Arcadia?
LikeLike
Not yet. Must read!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Sooooo very much. DS will grab you and make you NEED to read. Penelope will make you laugh so hard you stop breathing.
LikeLike
How heartbreakingly beautiful.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Awh thank you so much *beams*
LikeLiked by 1 person
Pingback: Poetry – ‘Amalgam’ | Becoming Vincent
I’m actually crying.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I’m sorry and also not…
Thank you 🙂
LikeLike
Would you like to ACTUALLY just shoot me through the heart next time?
*sniffs, wipes eyes*
Beautiful. Poignant, expressive and paints a bigger picture than a thousand words ever could.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Sorry…will try to warn you next time, but actually seeing your reaction For Real, was incredible. So…thanks for that.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Love it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, my BTFFFL 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
You’re quite welcome, oh talented one.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Lovely. Wonderful. Thank you.
LikeLiked by 1 person
*smiling* Thank YOU 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Why, why Lizzi!?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Because sometimes life is brutiful, and this story was in me to tell.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I really like these short stories you have been doing lately. 🙂 But outch! That story really and wow!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ohhh thank you! I love the format of Six Sentence Stories, and how the constricted space really makes me condense what I’m trying to convey.
LikeLike
Beautiful and heartbreaking, Lizzi ❤
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Dani. I kinda liked how they’re still together and still looking after each other. That counts for something.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It truly does.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Shivers and tears. This is devastating and in 6 sentences. You’re very inspiring, Lizzie.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Lisa…there was a combination of influences in this piece.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh my dear God this was one of the most gorgeous things I’ve ever read.
I’m not just saying that. This is haunting, magnificent and perfect.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Awwwwh thank you so much *grins* I do love these prompts. And thank you for saying such lovely things.
LikeLike