The gentle cooing of a mourning dove signals the dawn; I waken to the whir of highway traffic and, more distant, the lonesome wail of a train. The sky radiates a softer black, the ashen sheen it takes on just before the sun inches over the curve of the world. Somewhere, someone moans, and the night workers shush and rustle, prepare for the next group of caretakers. These are the only sounds; my mind is quiet; there is no noise, no morbid, florid thoughts, no whooshing or thrumming or humming, no lingering nightmares or images or memories. Normal? Is this what normal feels like? ***
Excerpted from BRIGHTER THAN BRIGHT and originally published in Six Sentences (2008). To read more from this story about insanity-tinged love, head to AT THE BIJOU for After The Leap.
And don't forget to read and vote in the #FridayFlash Reader's Choice Awards. My humble entry is SILVER BULLET.
Peace, Linda
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I could use some of those drugs sometimes. Something that just slows the world down a little from time to time would be nice. Description of the pre-sunrise is spot on.
ReplyDeleteHope you are well.
--John
Normal can feel like so many things...
ReplyDeleteHow are you doing these days, Linda?
Wonderful, hypnotic descriptive piece. I'm not sure about normal, but it felt like peace.
ReplyDeleteGreat description in this narrative.
ReplyDeleteLoved this: "the ashen sheen it takes on just before the sun inches over the curve of the world."
Normal? Yes, that's a good question.
Beautiful, poetic. The kind of thoughts that happpen in that heartbeat before the day intrudes. Lovely. Is the moon the pill?
ReplyDelete~Simon.
Lovely as always, Linda. You got it going on!
ReplyDeleteHmmm, I commented already but it's not showing up. Anyway, love this piece, especially that same line that Marisa extracted. This reads like gorgeous prose poetry and really conveys that state of mind. Great work! I just can't wait until the books are on the shelves.
ReplyDeleteI will be posting my own flash shortly!
Poetic, just lovely description. I love the tension between the relative calm of the morning (like the touch of the "mourning" dove by the way) versus the somewhat tense "worry" about whether this is normal--and whether it's a good thing.
ReplyDeleteI'm always impressed by these short ones that say so much. The rhythm is beautiful like sipping a story.
ReplyDelete-David G Shrock
Normal? I've heard of that.
ReplyDeleteThis is beautifully written.
normal is rather overrated, for sure!
ReplyDeleteI too loved inchingover the curve of the world
As others have said, this piece is full of great poetry from start to finish. Just some excellent writing in this small piece.
ReplyDeleteLove this. You can feel the calm of "normal" throughout. I am such a fan of your work, Linda.
ReplyDeleteThis is almost poetry. What beautiful lyrical writing here and a joy to read. Normal is overrated though!
ReplyDeleteThis is so fluid and relaxing Linda. Just lovely.
ReplyDeleteI sometimes wonder what normal feels like.
ReplyDeleteThis was a restful little moment.
The whole question of normal - what is it?
ReplyDeleteThis piece was restful, calm. Thank you.
I'm not quite seeing peaceful or restful here. It sounds like the person is lying in a hospital or other kind of care center. A small white pill has put them out, but not completely. Asking, 'Is this what normal feels like?' is like the unease at the edge of the mind, creeping up with the sun. That's the feeling I get from your lovely piece.
ReplyDeleteThank you all for reading! So glad it relaxed many of you ;^)
ReplyDeleteMark, you get the 'Bingo' award -- take the title and the last line and yes, you get someone who's finally gotten help for a psychotic break. No ease here... peace, Linda