Copyright Rochelle Wisoff-Fields
Today, for some people, life will change forever.
Anything… judgemental error, software failure, metal fatigue, an alert lab technician or simply fate itself… may herald a new, challenging direction.
“Must you do this today?” Simon asks, surveying the bags of unwanted clothes on the bed.
Lydia peels off more bags, heading for the cluttered spare room.
“Keeping busy,” she mutters.
The phone rings… it’s the hospital.
Minutes later, she replaces the phone, leaning her forehead against the hall mirror.
For someone, today is the last day of their usual life.
She is not that person; this is not that day.
Delighted to find we’re not alone in stockpiling similar corners within our home, despite the fact that we’ve moved house 18 times since 1994. Friday Fictioneers, under the housekeeperly eye of Rochelle Wisoff-Fields kicks off again today. If you’ve a hundred word story to fit the photo prompt, however obliquely, feel free to join us by clicking the blue frog.
castelsarrasin 
This was fantastic, Sandra.
LikeLike
Thanks for reading, Varad.
LikeLike
Beautifully done, Sandra. I’m a sucker for stories with a philosophical angle
LikeLike
Thanks Neil. So am I.
LikeLike
The relief in the last line is palpable. Expertly done Sandra, one of your best.
LikeLike
Many thanks, Iain.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Sandra,
I’m glad it wasn’t her time. She has all that clutter to clean up. 😉 Love what you did with my mess. I felt her relief. Well done as always.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
🙂 It looks like a very interesting mess, Rochelle. Thanks for commenting.
LikeLike
Unexpected change can happen at any moment. On the other hand, we can’t live our lives as if we’re always about to go into crisis.
LikeLike
True.
LikeLike
Sandra, that is just marvellous. The concept’s marvellous, the writings marvellous, it’s all marvellous, but perhaps the phrase I liked best of all was “leaning her forehead against the hall mirror”.
LikeLike
Thank you Penny. I could almost feel the cooling effect of that mirror myself. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, that came through loud and clear!
LikeLike
Nicely constructed story, emotionally layered.
LikeLike
Thank you!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Brilliantly crafted story – loved the last line.
Susan A Eames at
Travel, Fiction and Photos
LikeLike
Thanks Susan.
LikeLike
I’m not sure if I have any superlatives left to describe your writing.
In 100 words you describe how one woman handles a life crisis in such a way that when she leans her head against the mirror we let out a collective sigh of relief.
And then you turn the knife by reminding us that day will still come.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Aww thanks CE. Glad you liked it.
LikeLike
Your opening line is a real wake-up call! We get that ominous feeling; we dread why the hospital’s calling, then sigh with relief.
One thing: did you mean metal fatigue or mental fatigue?
LikeLike
I meant metal fatigue, Christine. As in a mechanical engineering component unexpectedly failing.
LikeLike
I like this. I can almost see the character as a hoarder. Well-written!
LikeLike
Hopefully there is more to the character than that. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hoarders can be extremely complex. One of my friend’s mom was one, and I recall her intense anxiety at any sort of change. The way you wrote this put me in mind of her, especially when she leans her head on the glass. An elegant piece of writing.
LikeLike
Oh, what a relief! Excellent tension, building to the moment of truth. Love it, Sandra.
LikeLike
Many thanks.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Captures the wonderful-awful way life whips us about. Wonderfully done, as always, Sandra!
LikeLike
Events do have a habit of catching us unawares. Thanks for visiting, Karen.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m so happy today wasn’t her day! Very well done.
LikeLike
Thank you!
LikeLike
The first line and the last say it all. Brilliantly written as ever Sandra.
Click to read my FriFic!
LikeLike
Thanks Keith. Loved your offering this week.
LikeLike
I don’t always go for narration in such a short story, but it works very well here. Great job.
LikeLike
thanks Trent.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Brilliant storytelling, Sandra.
So relieved for Lydia.
LikeLike
Me too. Thank you Moon.
LikeLike
Phew! What a relief – so well observed, so real.
LikeLike
Thanks Liz. 🙂
LikeLike
A great description of a moment when the news can go either way.
LikeLike
Thank you, Michael.
LikeLike
Oh, Sandra – you’ve wrung me out there! That wonderful set up – that eager lab technician, the metal fatigue – and her keeping busy, to that last line – ‘she is not that person; this is not that day’. So much said with such brevity and we know that person’s life is devasted. Masterful storytelling
LikeLike
Thanks Lynn. Glad you liked it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
My pleasure 🙂
LikeLike
Brilliant, Sandra. I know exactly how she feels. Must keep busy whilst waiting….
LikeLike
It’s the only way, I’ve learned. Thanks for reading, Dale.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Beautiful! Brilliant as always and such a subtle nuance to the story.
LikeLike
Thank you!
LikeLike
Oh, I have faced days like that so many times. Wondering what a phone call will bring. My oldest daughter lost her left kidney to cancer in 2008. Every doctor visit, phone call since then I’ve held my breath because along with cancer she has faced live threatening autoimmune disease. I have been thankful for those days life didn’t change. A poignant and powerful piece.
LikeLike
I feel for you. And that must be a never ending cycle of apprehension and relief. Thanks for reading.
LikeLike
I hope I never have to wait for a phone call to find out if my world will change forever. Nicely written!
LikeLike
I’m not sure whether I’d rather hear it over the phone or by visit to the clinic. I am sure I’d rather never have to find out.
LikeLiked by 1 person
This is wonderfully done. I love how it leaves so much open for the reader to fill. I love the hope in it – we can all identify with moments like this.
I imagined a daughter coming through the worst of an illness/injury but then reading the comments I see it could be personal test results. Of course it could be so much.
Thank you – I really enjoyed this 😊
LikeLike
My pleasure Anna. And welcome to Friday Fictioneers, I think you will enjoy our weekly get together.
LikeLike
Wow, Sandra. This is so very good. I see the people, the rooms, and my god I feel the emotion. Wonderful.
LikeLike
Thanks Claire, so pleased you liked it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
So much said in so few words! Loved this story 🙂
LikeLike
Thanks Dahlia. 🙂
LikeLike
Will it be good news or…Well portrayed
LikeLike
Well, she is not the person whose life is going to change today, so I guess it was good news. I’d comment on your story Bryan, but your link takes me to an access screen for my own sites. So if you’re not getting any comments, I’d guess others are finding the same. (Do you click on your own link to see if it works after you’ve linked up?)
LikeLike
Thanks Sandra. It appears OK and , I’m getting a few coomments
LikeLike
Ah! you’ve popped up further down the list now. I suspect the Inlinkz Fairy has taken a hand. I’m glad, I’d have hated to miss that story.
LikeLiked by 1 person
We all experience those life-changing/ending moments. Like C.E. said, there are not enough superlatives to describe this story. Excellent.
LikeLike
Aww thanks Russell. Glad you liked it.
LikeLike
Hey, Sandra, I read and re-read, and sampled the others’ comments. I think the first two paras threw me as they didn’t seem to belong to anyone. But it seems that may only be me. So what do I know? Delete comment.
LikeLike
Sorry it didn’t work for you, Kelvin. It’s not the first time, it won’t be the last. 😉 Thanks for visiting.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You are so understanding or accepting or is that philosophical? 🤔
LikeLike
Oh gosh. Those left behind. Powerful story Sandra
LikeLike
Thanks for reading, Laurie.
LikeLike
Great story that gets to the heart of life and how it can change abruptly without warning.
LikeLike
Thanks for reading, Irene.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great tension in the story, Sandra. I’m at the point of getting rid of a lot that was collected in the past. Good writing as always. 🙂 — Suzanne
LikeLike
A brief reprieve.
LikeLike
I feel that the day may be close… keeping yourself busy waiting is a way of coping I think… an excellent story
LikeLike
The need to keep busy and her relief when the news comes are both palpable in this. So much conveyed in so few words.
LikeLike
I really like the shifts between the general ‘someone’ and the particular story. I’m fascinated by these moments when everything might change … something to do with writing possibly?!
LikeLike
Hi Sandra! Beautiful as usual.
LikeLike
This was very well done. A well played 99 words to tell about the not knowing while waiting for that call.
LikeLike
18 times since 1994? Wow. You must like have zero clutter.
LikeLike
Thank God it wasn’t the news she was dreading. Very nice build up.
LikeLike
This is brilliant, Sandra. I love it.
LikeLike