Just a Nosebleed

I hear stories about how things were in those days, and it seems like the virus was a good thing. Women used to be afraid to go out after dark. Can you imagine?

Horrible for those who suffered so much loss, of course, but better for us. The generation that came after.

It must've been so weird, to have a virus sweep the world and every news outlet be devoted to it. And then this one happened, and...nothing. So many people taken by surprise.

Uncle Jack was Grandma's favourite. Her firstborn. A golden boy. Top of his classes, shining career ahead of him. Tall and strapping, good cheekbones. Lashes like a girl, she says. Usually she talks about what he was like, but sometimes, after a drink or two, she talks about what happened that day. She'd say,

I was reading a book on the sofa, and he was sat beside me, playing a game. "Mum!" Something in his voice made me look up, concerned. Blood was pouring from his nose. He must've been frightened, there was so much of it and it was so sudden, The clots coming out were huge! Almost grown, he was trying to be brave. But I knew my boy. He was scared. I was too, but I tried to hold it in. For him.

I passed him some tissue, but it was soaked through in moments. Kitchen roll didn't hold up any better. Towels, anything we tried to stop the flow of blood with, it was useless. Head tipped back or tilted forwards, it made no difference.

I tried to call an ambulance. Couldn't get through. He looked so white... I told myself he was just shaken... The pile of towels just sat there. Wet. Red.

"Mum," he said again. He sounded different, gurgling, faint. "Mum, I feel really... weird."

Half hour later, it was still coming, worse even. I had to hold him up on the way to the car. I lied, saying, "It'll be ok, honey."

It was all for nothing. We got the hospital, and there were men everywhere with the same problem.

Jack never came home.

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Word count: (excluding note): 366

Submitted on: 17th April at 22:45

*Quick Author's Note*

First, and most importantly: thank you for reading!

A Year of Stories: I'm writing a story every day this year. This one makes an 108 day streak since the 1st January. I can't believe I've come this far! I'm collating them all here.

Behind the story: there will be more to come with this one!

Prompts: If you'd like to have a go at my unofficial April Challenge (Fucked Up Fairytales) I've linked it at the bottom. If you'd like some more prompts to get your creative juices flowing, I've posted a list of prompts for April, and I've linked that as well.

Thank you

Thank you again! Especially if you are one of the people who has been staunchly reading these daily scribbles since the start of the year. I see you, and appreciate you 😁

I do my best to reciprocate as many reads as possible. If you leave me a comment, that makes it much easier.