His face was as stony as the rocky outcrop at the top of the hill. I wondered if his heart was made of similar granite.
Since Mum had passed he hadn’t shed a tear. My sisters and I had gathered round, reminiscing, watching old family films, looking through old photographs. We laughed at the memories, we cried at our loss.
He sat in the corner and stared out the window, unmoving, paying us no heed.
Now we reached the peak and I offered him the urn. He shook his head and stared out at the horizon below.
I hadn’t prepared any words. Mum preferred the silence up here, with just the sound of the wind whipping round the huge boulder.
I opened the lid and tipped the ashes out. The wind caught the grains and blew them around us in a swirl, gradually floating and dissipating.
After five more minutes of silence, he turned and began the descent. I followed.
‘It’s better this way,’ I tried to assure him again.
He merely grunted and walked ahead.
Better to give her a dignified end than watch her fade away. Was it selfish to spare ourselves that ordeal? Or selfless?
This is a response to the Thursday Photo Prompt – Stone curated over at Sue Vincent’s Daily Echo. Click on the link to read other stories inspired by the image.
So, did the do away with the old girl?
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Great story, Iain.
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Thank you
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Oh my, I was taken in by the story and felt the sympathy for the family and then…I read the end and now I have questions in my mind!
Clever!
And the answer is …… 🙂
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Mercy or murder? You decide! Thank you 🙂
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Tough question! I remember reading a book back when I was pretty young. It was like a science fiction book and it talked about this very subject. It’s becoming not quite so fictional anymore.
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I think it will only become more common now. In some cases it may be the right choice, but it will always be a difficult one to make.
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That is a question that will be asked by many as the shift in attitudes towards death gathers momentum…
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Not one with an easy answer. Thanks Sue
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No, it never is.
When my late partner realised his cancer was terminal…we discussed whether or not he could and should be helped to die when the time came that he could no longer cope with the pain. Thankfully, he died before we needed to address that issue… but asking the questions in that context changes your perspective.
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I bet it really does Sue, I can’t imagine.
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Another thought provoking post Iain…………..
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Thank you Di
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Your story makes me think on euthanasia a bit differently. I’ve always thought of it as a choice one made for one’s self but this takes it in a different direction — involving family.
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It can affect a lot of people, and that’s when it gets complicated. Thanks for reading.
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Once again, you nail the picture to the story. Mercy turned the father. A relationship possibly ruined.
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Thanks Stu. It does seem he will not forgive them anytime soon.
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So well done. I pray I never have to help a loved one make that kind of decision. Or vice-versa.
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Thanks Alana. I hope I never have too as well.
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Moving story Iain👏
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Thank you
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Thank you Sue 🙂
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The ending of this is great in making the reader question all that has gone before. Is the father’s heart made of granite, or broken by the actions of his children? One to ponder on.
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Glad it got you thinking. Thank you.
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Very poignant, Iain. An excellent piece.
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Thanks Robbie
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