Sunset

The silence between them filled the room. They hadn't moved since morning and the sun was setting over the ocean. If this had been a regular Saturday they'd be watching the sunset and commenting on the shades of orange and red flecks as they bounced across the waves. But this was no ordinary Saturday. No there was nothing ordinary about this day, or even this week at all.

It all started on Monday afternoon. Sadie received the call at work that Patrice had been hit by a car. They'd rushed her to the hospital where Sadie and Nick met with the doctors. "Patrice is showing no sign of brain activity."

Sadie broke down, "Will she ever wake up?"

"Doubtful."

Nick looked at his wife and said, "We need to let her go, she wouldn't want to be plugged in like a christmas tree."

By Wednesday final arrangements had been made to harvest Patrice's organs enabling her death to give life to seven lucky recipients. Sadie and Nick's relatives arrived for a memorial service that was held on Friday.

On Saturday morning Nick and Sadie took the urn with the ashes and watched as the waves washed their ten year old daughter's ashes floated out to sea. The depression that overtook them weighed them down like an anchor. Nick wrapped his arm around his wife and said, "Let's go home."

She simply nodded.

The silence between them filled the room. They hadn't moved since they'd returned from the beach that morning and the sun was setting over the ocean. If this had been a regular Saturday they'd be watching the sunset and commenting on the shades of orange and red flecks as they bounced across the waves. But this was no ordinary Saturday. No there was nothing ordinary about this day, or even this week at all.

 

• Your setting must be in (a) (the) depression/Depression.  Interpret this as you want.
• Include a Scapegoat: A figure who suffers for the crimes or sins of others
• Use an idiom to indicate doubt, such as "When pigs fly" or "When hell freezes over" Use something completely different.  Make up your own.
• tag with gwwe (this is the only way I'll find it.)
• publish by September 7th for inclusion in next week's column