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Recovery

by tusker 

Posted: 25 February 2008
Word Count: 206
Summary: Week 191 Challenge


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I'm spinning in complete darkness apart from one tiny dot of light that blinks at regular intervals. Now the light expands and begins to pulsate, like a giant amoeba, and a shadowy but recognisable figure emerges from the light.

'Too soon, Tidge,' my grandmother utters my pet name and I feel her deep love in her celery scented embrace. I need to stay with her, talk and laugh with her but she keeps on whispering, 'Too soon. Too soon.'

And as the light widens, erasing outer edges of darkness, her fingers, like a silky caress, stroke my cheeks, stemming frozen tears. Then she diminishes and the light diminishes with her and I'm spinning backwards into darkness until the rotations slow and come to a gentle halt.

At the squeeze on my cold hand, I open my eyes to meet the fraught gaze of my husband. 'Thank God,' he gasps as relief swamps his features.

A nurse hurries over, checks a tube where blood runs through and a clutch of panic has me croaking through dry lips, 'Where's my baby?'

My husband leans over. Kisses my forehead, saying, 'Our little girl is fine. She weighed in at seven pounds two ounces. Looks just like you, my pet.'






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Comments by other Members



Prospero at 16:02 on 25 February 2008  Report this post
Nice one, Jennifer. Had me looking one way, then took me the other. Clever writing.

Best

John

choille at 16:07 on 25 February 2008  Report this post
This is lovely Jennifer.

I like her celery embrace.

It's a great twist that she comes back to life with a daughter - her near death experience most vivid I thought.

Well done.
Caroline.

tusker at 16:16 on 25 February 2008  Report this post
Thank you John and Caroline.

Elbowsnitch at 16:52 on 25 February 2008  Report this post
Lovely, Jennifer. Such a terrifying swirl of unknowns, the grandmother's reassuring presence and the happy ending. I like the nickname Tidge and the celery-scented embrace.

The images of light and darkness, too - wonderful - and the tiny dot from the hospital machine turning into a giant amoeba -initially threatening but foreshadowing the child at the end of the story.

Frances

tusker at 18:44 on 25 February 2008  Report this post
Thanks Frances.

ireneintheworld at 03:11 on 26 February 2008  Report this post
this is absolutely beautiful jennifer. all of the above. love it.

irene x

tusker at 07:23 on 26 February 2008  Report this post
Thanks Irene.

Jumbo at 09:39 on 26 February 2008  Report this post
Jennifer

Lovely writing, great images, I was also wrong footed: thought it was about death - and it's about new life!

Cleverly done. Thanks for the read.

john

tusker at 14:15 on 26 February 2008  Report this post
Thanks John. It's a near death experience. You almost arrive there and, strangely, you don't want to return until you're gently pushed back.

Jennifer

V`yonne at 15:36 on 27 February 2008  Report this post
Thought we were talking death then it turned into life. Great stuff, Jennifer.

Forbes at 18:36 on 27 February 2008  Report this post
Oh Jennifer this was beautiful. I was right with you, from the celery sented embrace. A real cliff-hanger for me.

I feel her deep love in her celery scented embrace. I need to stay with her, talk and laugh with her but she keeps on whispering, 'Too soon. Too soon.'


Oh beatiful, that!

A wonderful misdirection, and I think it gave it depth.

TFR

Avis

tusker at 18:45 on 27 February 2008  Report this post
Thanks Avis.

tiger_bright at 10:59 on 29 February 2008  Report this post
Hi, Jennifer, a beautiful story of near-death with a happy ending. I loved her pet name and her grandmother's celery scent. A good contrast to the usual 'white light' version of near-death, this one felt comfortable and green.

Thanks for a great read.

Tiger

tusker at 14:22 on 29 February 2008  Report this post
Thanks Tiger.

Jennifer

Cholero at 21:49 on 29 February 2008  Report this post
Jennifer

I really, really enjoyed this, a real rip-tide of emotions, warm and mysterious, then panicky, then relieved. Beautiful rendition of the grandmother with the celery scent and the nickname. Great sense of returning to reality, and a terrific idea of the three generatins of females connecting across whatever it is that separates life and death, dream and reality...

Super,

Pete

tusker at 14:13 on 01 March 2008  Report this post
Thanks Pete.

Jennifer

crowspark at 21:24 on 02 March 2008  Report this post
Lovely flash, Jennifer.
Spinning senses, the certainty of after-life, all merging into a focus of reality, a new life started and recovery.
Great read.
Bill

tusker at 07:11 on 03 March 2008  Report this post
Thanks Bill.


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