Hippocampus' Charade
A First Responder's Ritual
He snapped the book shut and set it bedside. Eyes closed - ready for respite - but the hippocampus still painted the canvas beneath his lids.
"Do we have to do this? Every night?"
They opened, exhausted retinas recognizing wisping forms; a man expiring on an escarpment after resuscitation failed, hazy eyes staring back, his final exhalation autonomic; a toddler strapped in a car seat, vehicle upside down, little hand suspended in gravity. He never saw that blameless face, just the hand; reaching for a life that never started.
He shuddered as tides unleashed, hoping they knew, somehow; he tried.
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Author's Note:
Though an accounting of my personal experience, I submitted this to the Microfiction Magic challenge as this is what I imagine it would look like if the scene was put to paper. Writing is truly cathartic.
An average person will witness or be involved in two to three 'critical incidents' in their lifetime.
An average first-responder (firefighter, law enforcement officer) will see that number climb to 188 in the span of an average twenty-year career alone.
Studies completed by the US Department of Justice estimate that 20% of officers exhibit symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, and over 25% of all first-responders.
About the Creator
Brannan K.
****Vivid prose and thrills****
Favorite Reads:
Terry Brooks - The Shannara Trilogy
J.R.R.Tolkien - Lord of the Rings
James Rollins - Ice Hunt
Ernest Hemingway - The Sun Also Rises
Cormac McCarthy - Blood Meridian
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Compelling and original writing
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Comments (22)
Oh man. That must be incredibly hard to cope with, day-in day-out. Nicely evoked.
Congratulations on top story :)
Congrats on Top Story!🥳
Nice story 👏
Heartbreaking event, great story - congrats!
PTSD--we all have it, just different amounts. Yes, some. professions have overwhelming amounts. Once you get past the "part of the job" excuse, it gets scary.
Damn... I will have to think long and hard about this one...especially in the wee small hours...
Congratulations on Top Story!!
Wow! Amazing writing. ❤️ Thank tou so much for sharing this.
' exhausted retinas recognizing wisping forms' this right here says it . I felt the drained soul and emotions from this line. Congratulations
Wow - this really puts in perspective the heart that goes into this profession and the toll it takes. Thank you for writing and sharing this piece 💗
Wow, Brannan, how heartbreaking and poignant! Thank you for writing something that many might need to understand in such a beautiful way 💓
Wow, what imagery you have written here! Very dynamic.
Excellent! This clearly paints a vivid picture of a reality that most of us never think about or experience! So glad it was shared. Thank you for your service!
This was so so sad. I could imagine that little hand reaching out. This was beautifully written.
This was truly horrible and it's going to stay with me a long, long time. I hope it gets Top Story ❤
Thank you for publishing this Brannan. A moments pause for the grief and distress so eloquently expressed in such a tragedy. Pauline 🌸
Oh, this is powerful. Great writing. Well done.
Oh, this paints such a picture. 🥺 Very, very well done - and of course - very, very sad. ❤️
😭❤️
I didnt want to tell you to write this kind of piece for this challenge - just know that it was blaring in my mind, and I am very happy you did. This is award winning material here, period.
Awesome, but such a sad story - and I would have thought the incident of PTSD among first responders, etc to be higher - I cannot imagine the things they see and how often. Thank you for sharing this! ❤️