No Words
This is my fifth April A-to-Z Challenge. The past couple of years, I’ve written 100-word flash fiction each day. This year I’m doing the same, only with a twist: each day’s story will be inspired by the title of a Paul McCartney song. So let’s continue the fun with…
NO WORDS
When Jennifer discovered the scissors missing from the kitchen that morning, she panicked.
Three days ago, she found her husband in front of his computer, the screen blank, his arms hanging limp. Yesterday, they released him after running tests. The doctor’s words haunted her dreams.
“Mrs. Norman, Terry had a stroke. He is no longer able to process language.”
Jennifer cried herself to sleep with his last novel.
Now she feared the worst. She ran into the study; Terry held the scissors, his latest manuscript in pieces.
“No!”
Smiling, he picked up a paper heart and gave it to her.
Sunday is a day off for the challenge, so check back on Monday for “O”…
“No Words” is a track on the critically acclaimed Paul McCartney and Wings album, “Band on the Run” released in 1973. The song was written by McCartney and Denny Laine.
Gaah! Losing words – Nnooooooo! *gasp gasp gasp* but such a sweet ending. Thank you for that.
The writer’s nightmare–I know! And another sweet ending? Wow… what was I thinking?! 😉
You are amazing. I don’t know how you come up with all this stuff!
You’re very kind, Cynthia. All I can say is, for some of these, the story just flowed from the title. With others, it was like hitting the bottom of the ketchup bottle to get something out (remember when you used to have to do that?) 🙂
Oh yeah 🙂
Sweet story. Nice twist. Are you sure YOU wrote this one? No one died……………
I know!! I must have been sick that day. Thanks, Dena! 🙂
A nightmare indeed. I would rather drop dead than lose my words. Now I am all perplexed. Putting on some tea. That prevents strokes, right?
Tea is the original cure-all. At the very least, it’s the British answer to everything. Crisis? Put the kettle on. 🙂
That’s the sweet one I wanted 🙂 I can’t stop smiling, it’s so cute !!
Awww! Thanks, Me. There *might* be a few more nice ones to come. A couple of my favorites will show up next week, and [SPOILER] no-one dies in them. 🙂
What I find sweet about this story is that at the end of the day, the character’s love for his wife is the most important thing to him and he finds a way around words to express it.
Oh, good. No one died! 🙂
I knew there was something missing… 😉
You have a way, Colin. That was great storytelling. I didn’t think it was “sweet” though. I kinda felt sorry for him in the end. He was gaining one thing, but losing another. Will he ultimately see that as an advantage or a disadvantage? We’ll never know. Or maybe we will…
Thank you, John. I think, especially as writers, we feel for Terry, and perhaps fear that this could happen to us. I guess this is my hope that if it should ever happen to me, I wouldn’t lose perspective. 🙂
I’m torn. That ending was sweet, but his poor manuscript.
LOL! Maybe his wife can salvage it. 🙂
Ah, Colin. That was such a sweet and sad story all at the same time. I love it, but it messes up my id. You guys!!! Stop it.
Thanks, Julie. Am I sorry for messing with your id? Hmmm… not sure. I’ll get back to you on that. Maybe… 😉
By the way, I deleted your earlier “test” comment. Hope that’s okay.
love is not defeated– luvvit!
Thanks, Zannie! 🙂