Shatanya Sche
Stories (4/0)
Silo
I don't know which day I'll lose him, but I know it's coming. So, while the vet checks Silo's heartbeat, I put my head down and pray as it's the only thing keeping me from feeling useless. I pray that death would have a change of plans and reschedule for another day, another week, or another month. But seeing as the vet took off his stethoscope and stood over him in silence, I realized that my prayers went unanswered. “It may seem irregular now but he's already lost so much weight. His body no longer responds to the stimulants, and you already said that he's still vomiting a lot. I'm really sorry that there's not much I can do. Especially after all he's done for me.” Silo placed his paw on his hand and the vet nodded to him, leaving the room to prepare the discharge papers. Then Silo turned towards me with his round golden eyes filled with fatigue, he had been battling this kidney disease for almost a year. The nurse came in and gave us a brief explanation of the discharge papers before handing them over. Then I reached in my purse for the car keys and placed Silo in a carrier bag. The vet returned with one hand reaching out for the bag and the other holding out an umbrella. “I'll help you to your car. It's raining.” He helped us into the car, and I started the engine, waving goodbye as he stepped back. He gave a half-smile as he waved back, then dropped his umbrella after a few moments to let the rain wash away his guilt. The drive seemed long with only the sound of heavy raindrops to fill the silence; Silo didn't even have the energy to claw his way out. When we arrived home, I took off my coat and dried him off with a small towel from the closet, then reached for his food bag to prepare his bowl. But every time I reached for the bag, he would move my hand away, and after multiple attempts he bit me. I gave up and went to sit on the recliner, propping up my feet to relax. He moved his small staircase next to the recliner and climbed onto my lap, spinning around a few times before curling himself down facing me. We sat in silence for a long time looking at one another, thinking back to the time when we first met.
By Shatanya Sche3 months ago in Fiction
Moments of Clarity
The sun sets as a lone fisherman lies asleep in a dinghy out at sea, an empty beer can in one hand and a photo in the other. The photo consisting of newlyweds dressed in all white with the groom in a Canali tuxedo and the bride in a David’s Bridal gown. The bride smiles with her head laying down on the groom’s chest, their hands in front showing the rings of their union. The photo had been in the fisherman’s hands ever since leaving his affair with an escort he visits routinely to this day. After bar hopping, they stumbled towards a dock where his dinghy nearly floats away from a loosely tied knot.
By Shatanya Sche2 years ago in Fiction
Proverbs of the Lost
He stood in the middle of the circle as the trial commenced. The council before him, the citizens of Argo behind him. He was still as stone, lifeless while the images of deceased Jojobian children appeared in a hologram projecting from an official’s hand. Only his eyes fixated on his home flag, draping over the podium. Tears rolling down my grandmother’s face.
By Shatanya Sche2 years ago in Fiction