Chapters
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Mourning the Mother I Never Knew. Second Place in Chapters Challenge.
I sometimes wake up feeling that my mother has visited me in the night. I have memories of a shrouded figure just standing quietly and watching me sleep, or a pair of kind eyes appearing out of the darkness. I don’t know if it’s true or even possible; I’m not a religious person, so there is no built in belief of such things. Perhaps it’s just me wishing I had another chance to spend time with her, to laugh with her, tell her that I love her. Maybe I need to apologize to her. Maybe I need to tell her that I forgive her.
By Carl L Lane3 years ago in Chapters
The Hearing. Runner-Up in Chapters Challenge.
The room had been an icy echo chamber. A biting coldness had greeted me as I'd stepped through the door, my footsteps sounding louder than seemingly possible. Now, seated at the far end of a long mahogany table, I found myself almost envying that initial chill. My body felt like it was roasting inside a suit that was too formal, too tight, and a temperature that was now too stifling. The academic committee sat before me, an intimidating lineup of professors and department heads. Each had earned their seat through years, if not decades, of dedicated service to the profession. Their faces, stern and focused, were framed by the dim overhead lights, casting them in almost an ethereal glow. I tried to meet their gaze, but their silent scrutiny was piercing. The pressure was a tangible entity in the room, wrapping its cold fingers around my throat and making it hard to swallow. I could feel sweat forming on my forehead, trickling down my temple, trying to cool a brain that was feverish with panic. In the deathly silence, every thought that flitted through my mind echoed loudly in the caverns of my consciousness. Visions of my first day at that school, the proud moment I'd donned the white garb, the nights I spent poring over textbooks till my eyes burned—all of it clashed violently with the reality of the present. Why am I here? The question buzzed incessantly in the back of my mind, a gnawing reminder of the uncertainty that had led to this point. But I knew the answer. Over two years into what I thought would be a triumphant journey had culminated in a failure that was impossible to deny. The professor leading this hearing, Dr. Cranley, adjusted his glasses and shuffled some papers before him. The very act, so mundane, sent my stomach into a further spiral. A shadow passed over his face, and for a split second, I caught a glimpse of something resembling regret in his eyes. But just as quickly, it was gone, replaced by the all-too-familiar stern facade. My throat tightened, and my mouth felt drier than the Sahara. I wanted to plead, to explain, to make them understand just how much this meant to me. But words escaped me. Every rehearsed line, every argument I had prepared, vanished into thin air. Instead, I felt a surge of memories from the past years. The first cut on a cadaver, the weight of my new stethoscope around my neck, the long nights in the library where the world outside ceased to exist. These flashes of the journey, which had felt so significant once, seemed to taunt me now, dancing mockingly in the fringes of my vision. The stillness in the room was palpable, an oppressive quiet that seemed almost unnatural. It was then that they began to speak. Their voices, however, were a cacophony to me, blending into one another, an indistinct buzzing that filled the air but never truly reached my ears. The reality of the room, the weight of the moment, seemed to distort the very sounds around me. I could see their lips moving, their expressions shifting, some stern, others with the faintest trace of sympathy, but their words—those words that held my fate—were just out of reach, muffled by the whirlwind of emotions raging within me. I spoke in turn, but about what, I'm uncertain. As the voices continued, both mine and theirs, my mind began to drift against my will, once again pulling me into a vortex of memories. The countless nights of sacrifice, the promise of a bright future in service of others, the dreams that had driven me thus far. Each memory was like a ghost, haunting me with what might soon be lost. In this sea of faces, there were no guarantees, no assurances. I could decipher no conclusive judgment from their expressions. And while their words remained elusive, the gravity in the room did not. It bore down on me, pressing at every side. Images from the past few months continued to bombard me—the long hours, the relentless pressure, the mounting stress that had become almost unbearable. I remembered the mock tests, the practice sessions, the hope that maybe, just maybe, I'd make it. And then the crushing realization when I didn't. It wasn't just about effort—it was about results. The room continued to close in on me. The walls were a blur, the ceiling felt too low, and the table too long. My vision narrowed until all I could see were the judgmental eyes that bore into me, weighing my worth, my future. My heart raced, every beat echoing the reality of what was at stake. Though the specifics of their conversation evaded me, the atmosphere did not. There was a heaviness, a thickness in the air. But whether it was a foreboding of the end or just my own anxiety amplifying every detail, I couldn’t tell. The implications were clear. If I didn't measure up, my journey would end here, in this cold, sterile room, amidst the indifferent faces of those who held my future in their hands. I took a deep breath, trying to steady my shaking hands. "All I’m asking for is a chance. Another chance. I know I can do this. I just need more time." Silence enveloped the room again. It continued, stretched, filling every corner of the room, seeping into the pores of my skin. The quiet was deafening, and I yearned for a break, a sign, anything to shatter the oppressive ambiance. The gulf between us, once just a physical distance across the table, now felt insurmountable. The weight of their unspoken condemnation pressed down on me, threatening to snuff out the last vestiges of hope. I felt it, a cold, gnawing sensation at the pit of my stomach. It felt like hours had passed, though in reality, it may have been mere minutes. The committee members exchanged glances, nodded at one another, and finally, Dr. Cranley, with a resigned sigh, closed the folder before him. His action seemed final, but its meaning was shrouded in mystery. I waited for a clear sign, a definitive gesture, but none came. They had said their piece, their opinions—or at least the ones they had been willing to share with me—had been expressed, but in that room, the ultimate outcome remained an elusive specter. Was there a glimmer of a chance that they might see past my failure, to the potential I still held? The room grew colder, or maybe it was just my imagination. The tension was palpable, the stakes higher than ever. My future, my dreams, my identity—all hung in the balance. The committee exchanged glances again, a silent communication passing between them. Dr. Cranley cleared his throat, an unmistakable sign. It was time for me to leave them, to allow them to continue to discuss my precarious future at their medical school, but without my presence in the room. Numbly, I rose, my legs feeling made of lead. The journey back to the door felt as surreal as the meeting itself. The room, the committee, my future—they all seemed to blur together, a tapestry of hopes, fears, and uncertainties. The door felt miles away, and as I walked, the room seemed to stretch infinitely before me. But, as I reached the exit, I took one last glance back. Their faces were impassive, their expressions inscrutable. The decision that would shape the course of my life was in their hands. And as the door clicked shut behind me, the magnitude of the moment settled painfully into my chest. My future, once charted with precision, now lay ahead, shrouded in fog, the next steps unclear. The distant hum of the building surrounded me, countless students hurried by, but none of it registered with me. My path forward was unknown, and I was left alone, trying to grapple with the weight of that uncertainty.
By M Dannenfelser3 years ago in Chapters
Returning Home for the First Time. Runner-Up in Chapters Challenge.
It had been almost two years since I had been back home. The drive from the airport in Anchorage to the high school in Seward took less than two hours as it was summer, and the road was free of the usual snow and ice that covered it nine out of twelve months of the year. Every curve in the road was familiar.
By Lena Beana3 years ago in Chapters
It Takes Two. Runner-Up in Chapters Challenge.
Chapter 4 Save One Bullet 'Torture him', the mirror had told me. I could follow the mirror’s good advice and shred Tom piece by piece for the next thirty or so years instead of divorcing him. Then, again, as I ruminated over the last twenty years, and the imbalance of our relationship, perhaps things were never as rosy as they had seemed. Had mom’s progressing dementia become such a focus in my life that I missed the signs of a failing marriage?
By Tina D'Angelo3 years ago in Chapters
Footprints in the Slurry. Runner-Up in Chapters Challenge.
I met Mario out dancing at a nightclub in Pleasure Island, Downtown Disney, on the last night of a vacation with my cousin, Cathy. He told me his name, but it got lost in the reggaeton, and I didn’t hear it again until a couple of hours later when we exchanged phone numbers. Since then, I’ve only ever said it out loud seven times.
By Nicky Frankly3 years ago in Chapters
Heimgang . Runner-Up in Chapters Challenge.
Outside of my front door and across the valley there are three castles each on their own mountain top. I'm living in an old railroad station and the train still runs in front of my house. There is a small road that connects the two closest towns. They are a kilometer in either direction. I am allowed to run all the way to the end of the dirt road where there is a giant buckeye tree. The farmer piles his hay underneath it and when I climb the very top I can almost touch the lowest branches of the tree. There are wheat fields all around my house and I am just tall enough to look over the grass. I love plucking the green and unripe seeds out of the field. They taste sweet. I have a giant backyard and my favorite spot is in the top of the cherry tree that leans just over the fence.
By Adelheid West 3 years ago in Chapters
Beer Money. Runner-Up in Chapters Challenge.
Masters Degree secured, job quit, full-time writing career underway, the first part of my revenge was almost complete. Who cared if I was a fat, ambitious, opinionated motherfucker? Well, him obviously, but who else?
By S. A. Crawford3 years ago in Chapters
Dreaming of Electric Sheep. Runner-Up in Chapters Challenge.
I do not have dreams. In the literal sense. Obviously, I have my delusions of grandeur, my dreams of one day having something I've written be held in high esteem by somebody with no real vested interest in my life other than I'm the cool weirdo artist they've been obsessed with for some reason. I want my farm with my goats and to never have to look at another computer again. I want to sit on the porch and play guitar and have a big ol' Mead Hall thing that acts as sort of a private club/social venue. I want to provide a space for people like me, who are bad at stuff, so we can be bad at stuff together but in a way where the, like, 2 things we're good at end up being really useful. I have THOSE kinds of dreams.
By Aaron Richmond3 years ago in Chapters
Beneath the Island Sun. Runner-Up in Chapters Challenge.
As far as my memory and hearsay combine to form a vague understanding of my history—a mismatch of facts, experiences, and something slightly similar to the stain on my favorite shirt that I don’t really know what the hell it is—I would say that this was, quite frankly, my life. The details may have been nicely airbrushed, like a social media photo, but they still at least bear some resemblance to reality.
By William Saint Val3 years ago in Chapters
My Mother’s Words. Runner-Up in Chapters Challenge.
Many years ago, forty six to be exact, my life changed in every possible way. The year was 1977 and I was just a teenager when my mother spoke the words that would influence the most important decision I’ve ever made.
By Gerald Holmes4 years ago in Families
A Family Exiled. Runner-Up in Chapters Challenge.
I gazed out over the Baltic Sea, its waters calm and peaceful. It was good to be back in Latvia. I became enchanted with its stoic beauty, strong people, and curious youth in 2019 when I was able be on a short term mission trip with a team from our church.
By Hallie Carl3 years ago in Chapters
