It's Still Life

2701: Six Sentence Story

ambulance parted on the verge, a row of houses, one blue at the end of the street, winter scene

A View on Voyeurism

Louise’s kitchen window faces two houses: Alison’s, her husband, a retired podiatrist, and Jean’s — her husband lies face-down between the hydrangeas and the electricity meter.

Southeast Ambulance Service stands with him, or rather does not; the defibrillator is put away, as if it’s a game they lost interest in playing.

“I think he’s dead,” Alison texts, “that’s what my husband says,” and Louise reckons he should know, having checked bunions for thirty years.

Louise steps back from the window, a pretend privacy.

“I suppose I should send flowers,” Alison adds, “even though I never liked the nosy woman.”

Louise pulls out every pot and pan she owns and starts cooking: soups, casseroles, stews, a lemon drizzle that Jean once complimented — because she knows that grief eats everything except food.

Written for Denise’s Six Sentence Stories including the word ‘check’.  Some artwork is created using Midjourney AI. Imagery and poems/prose ©Misky 2006-2026.

Misky

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9 responses to “2701: Six Sentence Story”

  1. Spira avatar
    Spira

    I don’t know, Marilyn… I am the odd of the equation but if I know I cannot be of meaningful assistance then I do nothing in respect of said incident: don’t watch, don’t ask, don’t gossip.
    On the other hand, I have intervened in hairy situations where people just stood taking videos with their phones.
    I don’t try anymore to make sense of a senseless world.

    Excellent Six.

    Liked by 1 person

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    1. Misky avatar
      Misky

      I do what my heart tells me feels right, and what my intuition says is needed. But gossip? Never engage in it — but sometimes that chatter is how a person internalises their own perspective on death, their own mortality.

      The character ‘Alison’ however is the hinge in the story. Every story needs a hinge. 😁

      I’m glad you liked this Six. 🙏

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  2. pvcann avatar
    pvcann

    I’ve met that character, gah! So well told.

    Liked by 1 person

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    1. Misky avatar
      Misky

      Which one? 🤣 The who cooks; the one who might send flowers; the widow, or the dead guy?

      Liked by 1 person

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      1. pvcann avatar
        pvcann

        Ha, yes – Alison 🙂

        Liked by 1 person

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        1. Misky avatar
          Misky

          Ah yes, Alison. 😂

          Like

          Reply
  3. Liz H-H avatar
    Liz H-H

    It’s a powerful love lesson, the gift of food. To hold the heavy dough in one’s hand, feel the myscular ache of stirring a thick sauce, the regular thump of knife thru meat on wooden board, and the scents of cooking that emanate from the oven and push back the cold absence that is death…what the hell am I talking about?!

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    1. Misky avatar
      Misky

      What you’re talking about, Liz, is rediscovering that ‘you’ (whomever) are more than someone’s death and that living is more than breathing loss — day after day. There comes that moment when you start feeling yourself again. You feel the weight of dough, the ache in your forearm when you whip cream, cry because you’re chopping onions and for no other reason. That’s what you’re talking about. (hug)

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      1. Liz H-H avatar
        Liz H-H

        Wow! I’m smarter than I ever thought! 🥰

        Liked by 1 person

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