I can't believe what they've done to her.1
When I read what they say about my love, I want to cry. Sometimes I do. When I lie in her arms, feeling the warm enveloping darkness stretch itself into an equally welcoming dawn, I ask her sometimes why she lets them think such things of her. 2
She always shushes me, and pulls me closer, turning my eyes to yet another of her infinite secrets. I could never understand how she knew so much, where she found all the little gems of insight and natural wonder she guided me to. 3
But she always steered me true, and she never lied to me.4
When my spine failed me a few years ago, my Poppy was there. She gathered me up and breathed on my back, and I could move again. I still walk with a cane -- even Poppy can only do so much. But I can walk. I can live my life. Without Poppy, I would be writing this from a bed.5
When my brain failed me a year or so after that, Poppy was there. She cradled me and held my hand when paranoia shook me into shatters, and gathered up the pieces. She was powerless to glue me back together, but she held my pieces close to her breast until her friend Mary finally brought some psychic glue.6
And both of them sang to me at my bedside while the glue set.7
I would be dead many times over if it weren't for my lover, my wife, my Goddess -- my divine Poppy.8
Oh, the lies they tell about her.9
I've worn my teeth to stumps gritting them in impotent rage. All the lies.10
Why doesn't anyone care about the truth? Why doesn't anyone care what I want? Why don't you just listen to me so you could understand?11
You're not listening. You don't understand. I can hear what you're thinking -- "It's an evil drug! It ruins lives! It kills! It poisons! It corrupts!"12
I love you too, Mother. I love you too, Father. But you can't be what Poppy is to me, don't you understand? You and your alcohol, your tobacco -- they're just not the same!13
Listen. This divine poppy is not just a plant. It's not just a drug. It's a being, a presence, a living entity. More than that, she is a gift. All you have to do is accept her, and treat her with respect. 14
Would you ban chainsaws if people kept getting hurt throwing chainsaws at each other for fun? Of course not -- you'd say the people treating chainsaws like toys are idiots.15
So now here I am, needing a chainsaw, and you geniuses have banned them!16
She whispers to everyone who reaches for her, but not everyone listens. Ignorance and prejudice have lead to so much pain.17
And nothing is changing.18
My wife is still in prison, and no amount of lobbying on my part will sway the parole board.19
I miss her so much.20
Life is pain without Poppy.
Author notes
I warned you. I don't even know if this entirely counts as a story. It's more of a monologue by this character. If you want me to redo this, I could, I guess. But it's probably going to end up being along the same theme anyway. This is just what came out when I sat down to type. Hope it's enjoyable to read, at least.
Prompt:
Write me a romantic story which doen't have a happy ending.
Include 2 things: Heartbreak and Family Issues
Use this quote:
"Why doesn't anyone care what I want? Why don't you just listen to me so you could understand?"
A contest entry
- I Prompt U by Missi.
800 points, ended August 11, 2008, 10 entries
Bronze trophy winner
• next story in this contest, remove from contest
Comments
1 - 9 of 9
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Unbelievable all the time I thought that your wife’s name was really “Poppy”. And the way you speak about your parents addiction to Alcohol and Tobacco I was here thinking Poppy was truly a good girl.
Are you sure you’re not a politician this seems the style of a politician.
beginning: 5, language: 5, plot: 5, ending: 5, dialog: 5, characters: 5.
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LOL, no, I'm about the furthest thing from a politician. It's just what came out in response to the prompt I was given, is all.
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I like the twist there, how Poppy is not a human person, as most people might assume at first.
The comparison between Poppy and chainsaws didn't translate well for me; chainsaws are tools in my mind, and no one hears them whisper (that I know of, but who can say?), so it took me a minute to get your point there, but I got it.
You wrote a wonderful piece; I thought it was very powerful. -
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Yeah, you're right, it's a little awkward. But what I had in mind was images of people juggling chainsaws at the circus or whatever. You can hurt yourself much worse much quicker doing that than with any drug and it's perfectly legal. The general idea was just that we allow people to treat plenty of tools as toys, even hurt themselves with said tools when misusing them, and don't blame anybody but the people who chose to play with something that's not a toy. Yet as soon as it becomes a drug and not a more conventional tool, all of a sudden, the fault is with the drug, and it should be banned? Why is the fault never with the person who chose to abuse it? And, moreover, why so much focus on the misusers and not enough consideration for even the idea that there *could* be 'safe'/non-mis-users?
(Ack!) I should probably edit that analogy, but I haven't found an image that hit me as sharply as that initial chainsaw juggling thing.
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*blinks*
For some reason, this type of passage was hard for me to understand at first. The wording was a bit tricky. but about half-way through it, I realized it. It was pretty - no - really good. Congratulations on writing such a good piece of art! w00t!
The quote "Why don't you listen to me so you could just udnerstand?" made me think. The story has so much effect on you. Good job! -
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I can't actually take credit for that particular quote -- it was part of the prompt. The line before it about truth is more in my own voice.
Incidentally, it should be noted that this story is only fictional in that the character in the story is not myself. Everything in it is true and real in my life.
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I understand =]
Prompt:
Write me a romantic story which doen't have a happy ending.
Include 2 things: Heartbreak and Family Issues
Use this quote:
"Why doesn't anyone care what I want? Why don't you just listen to me so you could understand?"
Put this in your Authors Notes.
-Missi
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*gasp*
Bronze? Really? Wow, I was thinking I'd be lucky to get HM. Thank you so much!
... was the others really *that* bad?
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There. But, again... I warned you. x.x
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