100 Word Challenge – “Corridor”

Aug 27, 2010 | 100 Words, Writing

This week’s challenge word was “Corridor”. Without a doubt the first thing that came to mind was this. It took me all week to find the strength to write it. I call it GRIEF.

Grief

The sterile scent of medicine and bleach.

Hospital blue, hospital white.

Forever before me the corridor stretches, his room on my left. At the end is a lounge, I see a couch, hear a TV.

At his door I stand, unable to enter. The man before me not the man I remember.

Strength – gone.

Bulk – depleted.

The pillar of our family held down by tubes and cancer.

I can barely say hi, the tears form too fast.  I have to run.  To the lounge, where the couch will soak up my tears along with the tears of thousands of others.

Sarah

14 Comments

  1. Patti

    Oh, this is so sad. And very well done.I really hope it is fiction.

    Reply
  2. Sarah

    Thank you, Patti.

    I wish it was fiction. It’s a memory now 15 years old (almost exactly). It’s what Corridor made me think of!!

    Reply
  3. Tara R.

    Sometimes these Challenges are a good opportunity to let out good and bad feelings without having to write out a long narrative. This was very powerful, and all that needed to be said was done beautifully in these 100 words.

    Reply
  4. Susan

    Heartbreaking. I know that corridor too.

    Reply
  5. Sarah

    Thanks, Tara. It’s almost scary how cathartic 100 words can be. Hopefully one of these times I’ll actually write lighter bits for the challenge – the last two have been anything but! LOL.

    Reply
  6. Sarah

    Thank you, Susan.

    It’s a very difficult corridor. The memory is so fresh it’s almost scary. It’s painful every time it comes up.

    Reply
  7. Teresa O

    Dear Sarah…you wrote an eloquent 100 words on a difficult memory. I applaud you for the beauty of your writing and your courage to go to that place of pain.

    Reply
  8. Sarah

    Thank you, Teresa. You’re very kind. It wasn’t easy to write, but I couldn’t see anything else to write once I saw the word.

    Reply
  9. Cheryl Malandrinos

    Excellent work, Sarah. Sometimes writing things down helps us deal with things. I stopped journaling for a while, but am feeling the need to go back to it.

    Keep up the great work!

    Cheryl

    Reply
  10. Sarah

    Thank you, Cheryl. I’m really glad I wrote this. Even if it was difficult!!

    Reply
  11. Heather

    WOW… Powerful sharing in 100 words. I share your pain… cancer stinks. Praying peace & comfort. Agreeing with others, Journaling truly does help us through things.
    Hugs, HL

    Reply
  12. Sarah

    Thank you, Heather. Cancer does stink. A silent killer, some forms of it more than other. No matter what kind, though…it sucks.

    Reply
  13. V.R. Leavitt

    Very powerful…you have a wonderful ability to say so much with so little. Well done.

    Reply
  14. Sarah

    Thank you, Vanessa. I always thought I was too wordy for something like this. Amazing how having a limit makes you pack a punch in a short space.

    Reply

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