This story titled, “Almost terminal…” is written for #WriteTribeProBlogger challenge, Day-3 (Prompt: Terminal)
Almost terminal…
The prognosis felt dire, yet very few really seemed to understand that.
“Is it terminal?” some asked. They had seen her suffering for long, but held on to hope.
“It could be,” said another. “Sometimes she cries without stopping. At other times, there’s not a moist spot in her eyes.”
Those who understood nodded ominously.
“At times, her brother starts to cry, and that makes her cry too. She has been most patient, but we can see her limits are being pushed, that too, by her own children.”
“It’s sad. She’s suffering now for their mistakes.”
“Some of them say they’ll take care of her better from now. But we’ve heard that before, haven’t we? Superficial words, they’ll forget them in a while.”
More nodding followed this declaration.
“If they forget her, they’ll pay a much higher price later. One that they will not be able to afford. If only the fools realized that.”
“If she isn’t terminal now, she soon will be. Unless… she is loved by more of her children. It’s only that love which can save her.”
“But will they? Will they save Mother Earth?”
But for that, the only answer was silence.
Liked this? Maybe you can read some of my earlier posts: for Write Tribe | Short Stories.
(© Vinay Leo R. @ I Rhyme Without Reason,
9th October, 2017)
Vinay Leo R.
Poetry & writing are to me, a breath of fresh air in a life that is sometimes covered by the smoke of sorrow or self doubt. They also become the sweets I share to celebrate when life offers me a reason to. But most of all, they are to me, my life. For each word I write is a piece of my heart, a thought that just had to find its way into the world.
What a beautiful story Vinay! I hope that we can save mama earth!
I hope we can too, Z.
Unique take on the prompt. We all need to love our mother Earth and save it before it’s too late. Great work.
We do, but I wonder if it is already a bit late. Hope not. Thanks, Sulekha.
Oh I loved this take on the prompt Vinay! Yes our mother earth is heading towards terminal ending lest we all show her more love than ever before!! It is a pretty sad state of affairs and I pray thing do change soon!
Great flow in your story telling!
(SHALINI BAISIWALA recently posted… A point of connection [ #WritingBravely ])
Yeah. I pray that things change soon too, Shalini Baisiwala. 🙂 It is the need of the hour, without a doubt.
Drama originating from a common household I thought… only to be be surprised in the end when I realised the walls of the house have extended to encompass the bigger chunk,… this time mother Earth!
What a powerful message delivered with a great punch!
-Anagha from Team MocktailMommies
Thank you, Anagha. The Earth is our house too after all. We should think of that too, no? 🙂
All I can say is that I have seen someone very close go through this. Did her children care? In the end, yes. Did it make any difference? No.
Your post is like showing a mirror to many.
Thanks, Swati. 🙂 I was actually talking about a different mother, but yeah, it could be reality for many mothers, I guess.
Great use of prompt and the flow is quite great there, the end takes the cake 🙂
Glad the end takes the cake, Ashwini. 🙂 Thanks!
Love how your mind works! I do wish we’d sit up and take notice. Only today I read that a law passed by Obama on climate control is being repealed!
Thanks for that first compliment. 🙂 That decision trumps common sense, I think, Corinne.
That was deep and put me into thinking what are we actually doing with our own home. Love the twist in the end!
(Nibha Gupta recently posted… The Reunion)
Yes. We’re not taking care, and actually becoming more lax 🙁 Hope it changes, Nibhz.
I didn’t quite see the twist coming, but I loved this take on the prompt! Mama Earth is reaching a tipping point – it’s imperative that we all wake up and do our bit to look after her.
Yeah. It’s really at that tipping point, Gypsy. 🙁 Hope we don’t let her slip.
We need to take a pledge to save Mother Earth. Beautifully written. You kept me wondering until the end. And yes, this is a burning issue that needs to be addressed.
(Aesha Shah recently posted… Is it the end?)
I hope that burning issue is addressed before it becomes ashes and scatters in the wind. 🙁 Thanks, Aesha.
Yes it is the need of the hour, to save our Mother Earth and it’s time we realize it and act upon it. A very noble message in your story 🙂
Glad you liked the message, Prasanna. 🙂 I agree with you, it is indeed, the need of the hour. Hope we act on it sooner rather than later.
That’s a wonderful take on the prompt with a great twist. I didnt see it coming!!
Hehe. Yeah, I twisted it right at the end, I know. 🙂 Thank you, Shilpa Garg.
I am scared of the consequences mankind would have to bear. Even now, we ignore the plight of our mother and recklessly plunder her resources in the name of progress.
Nice take on the prompt 🙂
(Bhavya recently posted… The Terminal Incident)
I don’t look forward to the consequences either, for it might be dire. And too dire to imagine. 🙁 Hope it doesn’t come to that anytime soon, Ishi.
Lovely piece with a hard-hitting truth in the end!
Thank you, Nikita. 🙂
Whoa! I didn’t see that coming! That’s a great twist in the end 😍
(Shalini recently posted… One Last Time)
Thanks, T 🙂
Indeed Vinay! We are damaging her beyond repair…Some are doing it willingly while other without knowledge and awareness but yet doing it… It is really sad…hope we could do something to save her from further suffering!
Hope we do realize that and take steps to ease her suffering, Keerthi.
Our mother Earth is very kind to us even now with our inhumane acts. We must learn to co-exist first to ease her. Very good post Vinay
Yeah. She is kind, but how long till her limit is broken, no one can tell for sure, Jayanthy. 🙁
Beautiful story with the twist as usual. Hope we are able to save Earth before it’s too late!
(Sreedeep recently posted… Terminal 2)
Thank you, I hope so too, Sreedeep. 🙂
I generally don’t like to swear, but I have to say that was bloody awesome! Sometimes I feel we are fighting a losing battle trying to get people to realise that we need to seriously attend to the earth and the environment. And then there will be idiots who get upset because crackers are banned. Don’t they understand that if we don’t take steps immediately, life itself will be banned.
I think each has its own demerit, but the priority shouldn’t be misplaced. And it currently seems to be. 🙂 Hope that realization happens and steps are taken immediately, Sunita. Thank you. 😀 Glad you felt it was “bloody awesome”.
I did not see that one coming.. And then I went back and reread the whole thing. Loved it! By the way who is her brother? I don’t think I got that one 😬
Glad you loved it, Mahak, and that it made you to reread. 🙂 Brother is the sky.
Absolutely loved your take on the prompt. Such smart story-telling. I wish this was true and more and more humans saw how terminal Mother Earth will get if they don’t pull their socks up.
(Parul Thakur recently posted… Pangong Tso – more than a lake)
I wish more people would know it too, Parul. But will they pull their socks up if they do understand it?
Just before the second last line, I was thinking you are talking about Humanity…and then I read Mother Earth. 🙂 Such an apt prose, and almost terminal is so true (although I wish that weren’t the case).
Congratulations on completing a decade in Blogsville. Keep doing the wonderful work you do. May your pen never run out of ink (or your laptop, out of charge, ;)) and may your mind never run out of ideas! Cheers.
(Rashmi recently posted… What Begins, Must End…)
Can work either way, but humanity is affected by that damage to Mother Earth too, so interconnected, I guess. 🙂
Thank you for the wishes and hope your ink wish comes true, Rashmi.
Wow! Vinay, this was awesome. The way you connected the dots. Kept me intrigued till the end. But who is the brother who is crying?
(Rekha recently posted… Dak Ghar (The Post Office))
The brother is the sky, who cries with rain, and pushes her to tears (floods). Glad it was engaging, Rex.
Superb!! Mother Earth really needs her kin to buck up and take charge for her health and well being.. If at all they understood it will affect their own as well!!!
What a beautiful take on the work ‘terminal’ I must say!!
She does want the kin to, but kin not obliging just yet. 🙁 Hopefully soon, Shailee. Glad you liked my take on the prompt.
Beautiful way of writing about such an important topic. We are killing mother earth. Great take on the prompt!
(Sanch @ Sanch Writes recently posted… Book Review: Thai-no-mite! by Oliver Phommavanh #AusRead17)
Thank you, Babby. Yes. We are killing her slowly, and that is a sad truth.
Wow! Was not expecting that! I wonder, is it too late to save her?
I wonder that too, but in retrospect, I feel it’s too early to abandon hope. 🙂 Thanks, Apeksha.