Rhythm of Life

Author: Jeannette Sheehy
Word Count: 312
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Rhythm of Life

Rhythm of Life belongs to the following groups:

! Creative Writing & Poetry !, Short stories - Spherical Scriptings, Twisted Tales, Up & Coming Writers, WMG and Writers Edge

She lay there, aware that her breathing no longer sounded normal. Her every thought was concentrated on the breath in and the breath out. Was this how the last moments of her life were to be measured – in 2-3-4, out 2-3-4, in 2-3-4, out 2-3-4 – until she took her very last breath? Why had she never noticed the rhythm before?

Gradually, a persistent squeaking and popping threaded its way into the pattern and rhythm of her breathing. At first it was almost a relief to hear something other than the incessant noise of her. But minutes passed, pushing her into the beginnings of panic – that noise, that terrible, awful squeaking and popping noise – was that all she would remember at the end of her life?

It’ll be a relief to die. She shook that thought from her head immediately. I’m too young – I have so much I want to do. How did it come to this?!

She tried to move, knowing how futile it was. Salty tears of fear, frustration and self-pity pooled in the corners of her dark exhausted eyes, before slip-sliding down the sides of her face, coming to rest like sparkling jewels carelessly entangled in her hair.

“I can’t do this!” the words came out in a short, sharp explosion, interrupting the ebb and flow of her life-breaths. Gulping and gasping, fighting for air, she desperately looked round for some kind of help, her head the only moving part of her.

A calloused hand came down to gently cup her wet cheek.

“Shush, shush”, he breathed into her ear, “I’m sorry sweetie, but they said it’s the only way”.

The iron lung, popping and squeaking, breathing in, breathing out, never still, kept up the rythmn of life.

Solar Zorra

Ohhh…how awful, not the story of course, the situation. Makes me want to go for a run or something. :) SZ
Jeannette Sheehy replied

thanks for the comment Solar. Yeah, I was thinking about the preciousness of life and remembered reading something about a woman who had polio and ended up in an iron lung and how that precious metal lung was the only thing that kept her alive. So sad.
Jim Hall

I feel her sadness, Jeannette. There’s nothing to fear from dying. It’s life that gives us fear. Sad but good story. JH
Jeannette Sheehy replied

cheers Jim. I was trying to imagine what it must be like to have to live out the rest of your days like that..would death be preferable and welcomed? I don’t know. It was interesting for me to explore some of it in such a short word count.
ArcadiaTempest

Jeanette….it was a precious metal …...life giving…solemn writing with such creative flair. :)) So well done!
Jeannette Sheehy replied

thanks so much Arcadia – really appreciate your comment :) It’s good to get back into the flow of things. House moving in December really seemed to take all creativity out of me!! lol
Hannah Fenton-...

This was just Featured in
WMG
Jeannette Sheehy replied

oh wow! thanks so much Hannah – that’s so cool! :)
Damian

Nicely done. It’d be hard to deal with living that situation.
Jeannette Sheehy replied

Thank you Damian – I’m sure it would be. Apparently a lot of people struck down with polio earlier on this century ended up like this. Thanks for reading and commenting. :)
Matt Penfold

Beautifully written Jeannette, a deep and thought provoking piece.
Jeannette Sheehy replied

Thank you Matt – appreciate the kind comment. Thanks so much for reading. :)
Alison Pearce

Well done!!! And congrats on a well deserved feature!
Jeannette Sheehy replied

thanks so much Alison…really appreciate it. And I love your entry for this week’s twisted tales. :)
filfil

Wow…what a tale. You are truly gifted. Congratulations on the feature!
Jeannette Sheehy replied

thank you so much for your kind comments filfil – it’s much appreciated. I felt so sad after writing this.
Zolton

Someone get that lady an MP3 player for goodness sakes to mask the noise! Sad and sweet story, Jeannette. And… an excellent prompt!
Jeannette Sheehy replied

ah Zolton – that would make things much better! lol! Glad you liked the story AND the prompt – all the many entries this week have been such fun to read!
Cathryn Swanson

Very sad, and nicely written.
Jeannette Sheehy replied

thanks again Chanel – really appreciate the comment and you taking time to read :)
Bob Fox

Well written.
Jeannette Sheehy replied

thank you so much Bob :)
Mark Bateman

Much praise already lavished on this gifted woman – well done Jeannette!!!!!!!!!!
Jeannette Sheehy replied

I blush sir ::curtsey:: This was a fun week – there were 14 entries in this week’s challenge. Are you going to start entering again? We miss you. :)
Mark Bateman

Give over being so sweet – you been at the Tango again?
Jeannette Sheehy replied

lol…I don’t drink soda any more…seltzer or black coffee. I’m not nice. And we still miss you. ;)
Mark Bateman

Pah.