A Bit O Fiction: Lullaby (487 hits)
Category: GeneralRating: 1.34 on 26 reviews (Rate this item) (V)
Submitted by Paralyzed_By_Hope (View user info) at 2007-10-12 14:46:03 EDT
Lullaby
Watching her neighbors, clad in bright sundresses, playing with their own radiant children, Kate realized she couldn't remember the names of anyone who lived near her. The tall woman, who lived directly across the street, had her blonde hair pulled back and a smile stretched across her tan face. Kate glanced down at the sweats she had been wearing for the last two days. Pieces of crust stuck under her nail as she picked at some dried unrecognizable stain near her breast. Soon the neighbors' husbands would arrive in their driveways and they'd stroll out to greet them with a kiss.
As the baby monitor crackled, Kate pushed herself off the couch and headed upstairs to the nursery where Rae slept. The shades were closed, darkening the spacious bedroom. She neared the crib and gently checked for clogs in the feeding tube dangling from Rae's abdomen.
In one week, Rae would turn four. Since birth, she was tortured daily by an agonizingly slow executioner, cerebral palsy. Every day, seizures rippled through her body, destroying the last few living areas of her brain. Two years ago, a seizure had left Rae deaf and blind. A few months ago, another spell of seizures left her right side paralyzed. As each seizure arrived, Kate was forced to wait and see what little piece of her daughter would be stolen away.
Lately, it had become difficult for Kate to constantly move Rae's growing body in and out of the crib. She now bathed her with a sponge, softly cleaning the yet unhealed hole from which the feeding tube protruded. The only thing not expanding was Rae's brain. That stayed shrunken and left a sharp ridge around the top part of her head. Tracing her finger along the sunken edge, Kate thought about saying a prayer, but decided against it. What kind of mother prays a seizure will finally kill her child?
Kate lifted an embroidered pillow from the rocking chair. It had been a gift from one of her nameless neighbors. She watched Rae's chest, which rose and fell evenly with Kate's own level but shaky breath. As she inhaled slowly, Kate moved closer to the crib with the pillow still in her hand. For Kate, for Rae, there would be no more prayers. They needed action.
Quietly, Kate stroked one of her daughter's legs. Rae moved, responding to her only living sense, touch. Then she gave a little cry, like the melancholy coo of a bird. Kate faltered at the lonely sound and sank to her knees. Tears streamed down her face, but she hadn't the strength to dry them away. The room echoed with Rae's mournful cries and Kate's defeated sobs, a lullaby the nursery knew all too well.
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User Reviews
Submitted by Lib (user info) at 2007-10-15 12:44:31 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by lover101 (user info) at 2007-10-15 11:43:23 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by lechuza (user info) at 2007-10-13 12:52:34 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Its on like Rae Dawn Chong
Submitted by Sacrilicious (user info) at 2007-10-13 11:43:53 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by c1ndy (user info) at 2007-10-13 11:33:33 EDT (#)
Ranking: 1
No Comment
Submitted by ghola (user info) at 2007-10-13 11:25:47 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
No Comment
Submitted by ilikesteak (user info) at 2007-10-13 00:46:46 EDT (#)
Ranking: 1
Don't tell me if this is fiction. I'd think I can find out on my own. It's called thinking, I'm sure you've heard of it.
Submitted by Fatterrific (user info) at 2007-10-12 22:58:34 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Haha you bastard, that is fucking depressing as shit.
Submitted by Bubba2341 (user info) at 2007-10-12 19:01:34 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by TheUniter (user info) at 2007-10-12 16:31:39 EDT (#)
Ranking: 1
.
Submitted by TheUniter (user info) at 2007-10-12 16:31:29 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Submitted by monkeyswithguns (user info) at 2007-10-12 16:01:01 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Forgot to rate. Pay no attention to this commentary.
Submitted by monkeyswithguns (user info) at 2007-10-12 16:00:21 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Weep.
Submitted by orphelia (user info) at 2007-10-12 15:49:46 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
There is some really touching sentiment in this.
Lovely. And sad.
Submitted by zoobie2000 (user info) at 2007-10-12 15:36:56 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
i couldn't care less
Submitted by CaptainThorns (user info) at 2007-10-12 15:29:34 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
*gulps*
Submitted by Paralyzed_By_Hope (user info) at 2007-10-12 15:16:06 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Sorry. Bamford.
http://www.mariabamford.com/online_video.php
Submitted by Paralyzed_By_Hope (user info) at 2007-10-12 15:11:34 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Submitted by Brdn_Nkd (user info) at 2007-10-12 15:09:22 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
This doesn't come accross as fiction. there's a familiarity with the despair inherent in such a situation that, coupled with your user name seems too real. if it's fiction I think it's pretty well done.
It's fiction. And the user name is from a standup comedian named Maria Bramford.
Submitted by Paralyzed_By_Hope (user info) at 2007-10-12 15:10:31 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Wow, I have no response to that. No response at all.
PS. Sorry it was a bit depressing.
Submitted by FALLEN (user info) at 2007-10-12 15:03:22 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by Paralyzed_By_Hope (user info) at 2007-10-12 14:51:41 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Submitted by BLITZKREIG_BOB (user info) at 2007-10-12 14:49:31 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Maybe Kaelic can start up www.helprae.com.
Don't get it.
-----------------------------
http://www.ubersite.com/m/112328
you'll get the gist of it from here.
Submitted by Brdn_Nkd (user info) at 2007-10-12 15:09:22 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
This doesn't come accross as fiction. there's a familiarity with the despair inherent in such a situation that, coupled with your user name seems too real. if it's fiction I think it's pretty well done.
Submitted by FALLEN (user info) at 2007-10-12 15:03:22 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by Paralyzed_By_Hope (user info) at 2007-10-12 14:51:41 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Submitted by BLITZKREIG_BOB (user info) at 2007-10-12 14:49:31 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Maybe Kaelic can start up www.helprae.com.
Don't get it.
-----------------------------
http://www.ubersite.com/m/112328
you'll get the gist of it from here.
Submitted by FALLEN (user info) at 2007-10-12 14:59:50 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
totaly depressed now, thanks so much.
Submitted by Paralyzed_By_Hope (user info) at 2007-10-12 14:51:41 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Submitted by BLITZKREIG_BOB (user info) at 2007-10-12 14:49:31 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Maybe Kaelic can start up www.helprae.com.
Don't get it.
Submitted by BLITZKREIG_BOB (user info) at 2007-10-12 14:49:31 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Maybe Kaelic can start up www.helprae.com.
Submitted by Ballare (user info) at 2007-10-12 14:49:00 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by Leonore (user info) at 2007-10-12 14:48:30 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Kinda vanilla.
Read this story/heard this song/seen this movie before.