Sam drags his feet to school, swinging his rucksack back and forth over the rough path that bisects the field behind his house. Right then the sound becomes audible enough to notice, grows quickly from a hum to a growl. He sees a light in the sky, burning towards him, growing larger as the noise grows louder, blossoms into a sustained boom that threatens to crack the sky. He puts his hand up to protect his face. The meteor, for that is what Sam later discovers it is, strikes him, slicing a scar into the back of his hand before knocking him down. He lands, dazed and utterly alive, staring at the pea sized rock that sits in a foot wide crater punched into the ground.
Decades from now, Sam will hold his dying wife’s hand and weep. He will cling to the weak pulse that resonates from palm to palm, squeezing tighter as if doing so will keep the old woman from leaving. It is then Sam’s eyes will alight on his childhood scar and for just a moment he will marvel that the impact of this moment hurts in so many more ways than his collision, so long ago, with a chunk of rock that fell upon him from space.
What a sad lovely story.
So much power in so few words. Thank you for sharing this.
The pain of emotion has a depth that physical pain can't compete with. As you said, it hurts in so many more ways. Heartfelt piece, thank you.
A powerful poetic moment. Well done.
I was not expecting the meteor! This is a very lovely piece.
I can't get over how much is said here compared to how much is written. I am so jealous.
~2
Different sorts of impact with the same level of devastation. And I love the way you use tense and point of view.
The power of your words continue to inspire. Wonderful piece.
You guys are all too kind. Thanks for the positive feedback.
Good piece, Dan. We think we know pain, and then sadly find out those were just pretenders. Very poignant.
I’m a little late. Sorry.
~jon
Wow, nice story! Very powerful, very sad. Sums up the pain life brings quite nicely.
A whole life in two paragraphs. Well done!
As mentioned above, a whole life in two paragraphs.
I love the use of the word “impact”. By itself, it connects the two events and lets the reader see how much more painful the second is than the first.
Such a compact piece and so much emotion. I salute your ability with words.
Nice. Short and powerful. Reminds us that pain defines our most memorable moments.
Fantastic. What a deft switch from present to future – this was perfect to tell this story.
I love this line: “He lands, dazed and utterly alive, staring at the pea sized rock that sits in a foot wide crater punched into the ground.”
and how it resonates in the last line:
“the impact of this moment hurts in so many more ways than his collision, so long ago, with a chunk of rock that fell upon him from space. “