Fiction

You stayed with me

You stayed with me.

At first I feared you might be playing, and planning to leave me for the fun of it, but I was wrong. You stayed with me.

I went home to a world you never saw, and you stayed with me.

I slipped back into a place that was waiting for me, where we had to find and make one for you, and you stayed with me.

I remembered the gods you had served, and I was afraid they would call you back, but you stayed with me.

Deep inside, that fear and doubt smouldered, only winking out and cooling as our first grandchild grew up. I hope I hid them well enough. I never wanted to hurt you.

You watched me age, at twice your pace, and you stayed with me.

You were always there for me.

I cannot thank you enough.

I'm sorry I can't stay.

Comments

Beautiful -- and this is one of the greatest testimonies I can give -- the last line especially brought to my mind my grandparents - I imagine my grandfather might have said some of this to my grandmother when he died before her.

Thank you very much. :)

So lovely, and sad. Both real and unreal. Intriguing enough to make me wonder at the possibilities but not so vague I felt cheated when it coalesced into the final (so final) line.

Fantastic little flash, Anke. =)

Thank you. :)

Great writing - kept me wondering all the way through. Loved it!

Thank you. :)

Sweet! So is one mortal and the other not?

Thank you! Well, the one addressed is at least considerably more long-lived than the speaker.

I still love this to bits after so many re-reads.

Thank you. :)