With Anthony gone, Arlene sat alone on the couch staring at the journal on the coffee table before her. Her eyes glanced up from it to the window. The rain ran down the panes like blood must have on her son. She took a sip of wine and placed the glass next to the journal. The plastic bag holding it was worn and dirty with grains of sand that once touched his hands. The room was eerily quiet. Her emotions swayed from anger to sadness.
Why did he send the journal to her? Wasn’t losing him enough! Now must she read his own words. She was frozen in the moment. Too scared to open the journal, she stood up and walked towards the wall holding his pictures. The pain of losing Michael was as agonizing now as it was when two Marines in uniform delivered the devastating news last November.
This is fiction written for VisDare. This work was inspired by the photo and written for the ongoing story The Journal of PFC Patterson. Stop by and read more about a mother dealing with the loss of her only son in Iraq and the turmoil created after reading his journal.
Mind of Shoo 
I cant imagine how hard this is for her
It gets tougher…more to come.
Raw, powerful and very emotional. Well written MindofShoo.
TY…that’s so nice of you to say. Thanks for stopping by and reading. Hope you read the other part of the story 🙂
Hopefully I will, so much to catch up on at times and you are welcome 🙂
TY and thanks again for the compliment. Especially on this story. It’s inspiring.
I’ll just comment on both of these here…
Obviously, what’s in the journal is really what the story is all about. I really like the premise! I’m curious what Patterson’s story is going to be and why he wanted his mom to read it.
TY..the journal is the key.
Very powerful piece.
Liked the “The rain ran down the panes like blood must have on her son.” Read that several times over.
The image of her at the window, and her remembering the image of marines, and having to relive the pain, reopen the wounds of having her son ripped from life…
TY. Glad you felt her pain and suffering. 😉 As someone who writes, that is what you want your audience.
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AHhhh….another add-on story! LOVE. You have definitely captured the sorrow and pain, the hunger for knowing against the pain that rejects knowing more. The mention of the sand, the last traces of his touch, was especially nice. Lovely work. Hope to see more VisDares from you in the future — welcome to the VisDare family! 🙂
Hope you don’t mind the add on story. I guess my mind was on Patterson when I saw the photo. Thanks for the compliment. And thanks for having me. 🙂