No man is an island.
Marta’s brain knew this to be true though her heart doubted it.
Things bustled around her, throngs of people coming and going. Her home was an endless parade of mourners trying to buffer her grief with hushed condolences and casseroles. As if “sorry” could soften the blow of unexpectedly losing her love of thirty-two years. She managed robotic hugs and canned responses. Numb.
Maybe she wasn’t an island, but she felt like she was stranded on one. Well, not exactly stranded. Perhaps with a boat, but lacking an oar…the means without the drive.
Adrift.
Photo credit: © Fatima Fakier Deria
Do you ever just feel overwhelmed and while the world carries on merrily around you, all you can do is… float? That’s what I’m trying to portray here, not sure if it works. This is written for the weekly flash fiction challenge, Friday Fictioneers. Check out the other authors’ contributions here. Many thanks to our lovely host, Rochelle Wisoff-Fields.
Brilliant, Amie. And, truly, at times, that is exactly how it feels…
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Thanks, Dale. It is how I always describe the feeling of depression (be it chronic or situational)
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And also how bereavement feels.
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Yes, I agree.
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I love the way you brought the image to reflect such an intense feeling of emotional isolation.
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Thank you, Luccia.
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Wonderful! I love it. :o)
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thank you!
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You captured grief brilliantly. Loved the line “the means without the drive.”
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It seemed a fitting description. Thank you so much for reading and commenting.
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Very interesting take on the prompt. Great job with the description of her feelings. Definitely a success.
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Thank you!
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You captured the shock of bereavement really well.
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Thank you!
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Works for me. Adrift describes the emotional state perfectly.
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I’m glad it worked. Thanks!
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Dear Amie,
Depression and grief well described. Good job.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Thank you!
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Great title for what you describe. Especially like the metaphors in the last paragraph.
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Thank you
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What a great use of metaphor… and of course it works
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Thanks. I’m glad it works!
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The sense of loss is clear in your metaphor…
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Thanks for reading and commenting:)
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there are five stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. this story is a very realistic portrayal of grief in its 4th stage. well done.
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Thank you!
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You convey that sense of deep loss so well. I particularly like your description, “Robotic hugs and canned responses”.
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Thank you
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