“You’ve no idea what mortal sin we committed, have you?”
Who’s that stranger shouting in my ear?
“I’m your husband, John, for God’s sake. How dare you leave me to shoulder all the guilt.”
Why can’t that horrid man go away?
“I’ll see you in purgatory.”
Is he the priest? I don’t know him. “Think only of the past, as its remembrance gives you pleasure.”
“What, the hell?”
“Elizabeth … in ‘Pride and Prejudice’. Mama likes to read to me. …My Harry, as handsome as Mr Darcy. I married him yesterday, you know.”
“He’s been dead forty years. We buried him.”
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Friday Fictioneers: 100 word stories
Photo prompt: copyright © Dale Rogerson
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Sarah Potter Writes 
I’ll make this short and sweet….you, Sarah, are a talented writer!
Have a great weekend!
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Thank you, so much, Bill 🙂 I will definitely have a great weekend, after receiving such a lovely comment from you.
You have a wonderful weekend, too!
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I had imagined purgatory with less intellectual challenge. Nicely done, Sarah
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Thank you, Neil 🙂
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Dear Sarah,
You’ve captured both the tragedy and humor connected with dementia. Well done.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Dear Rochelle,
I think it’s more tragedy than humour, but if you don’t laugh occasionally, I guess you’ll cry instead D: I often think of Iris Murdoch and Terry Pratchett, both brilliant writers, so cruelly struck down and literally lost for words in the end. The thought of that happening to me, or someone I love, really scares me. I hate it when I get scatty and forgetful…
All best wishes,
Sarah
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It must be as jumbled as this inside one’s demented mind… I loved this!
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Thank you, Dale. I think it’s probably as jumbled as this in the earlier stages of dementia, when some long-term memories are still in tact.
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I swear my thoughts are as jumbled occasionally!!
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I know the feeling D:
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I have tried to write like this. You nailed it well.
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Thank you, Kent. I guess that when a story insists on being written, it sort of writes itself.
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The perspective from the one with dementia is scary… my mother cannot even talk these days so this was painful to read.
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So very sorry to hear about your mother, Bjorn. I do hope the story didn’t upset you too deeply. My heart goes out to you.
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A different take on dementia – you did well with this.
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Thank you, Sandra.
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A stunning piece, Sarah. Well done.
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Thanks, Sylvia.
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You’ve made me feel what it must be like to have that confusion of memories, past and present Sarah.
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It’s scary, isn’t it, Andrea? I’ve watched it happen to several people recently. The older I get, the more it disturbs me. I guess we all fear a drawn out death where the brain dies ahead of the rest of our body. It seems more common than it once was, probably because we live longer.
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Great depiction of confusion, really well done
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Thank you, Michael.
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