On the ward of embarrassing ailments the women surprise themselves with bawdy humour – but they are practised in the art of swerving specifics. ‘Long story’ they say, all raised brows and gracious smiles.
Some have got things lodged where they shouldn’t, some have ignored shooting pains and malodorous discharges. One is a baffling medical anomaly – not that the doctors will admit it. Between them are drunken mishaps, complicated births and unsightly sores. Between them is a sense they’ll likely be okay.
When they wheel her in, bashed and bloodied, the jokes stop. The girl turns her back to the ward, trailing unwashed locks across her pillow. An eggshell stillness sets in.
That night the women dream huge drooping bouquets: blooms in impotent reds and useless blues that fug the ward with powerful notes of sweat and menses. Nearing the end of her shift, the exhausted nurse swings the windows a little wider.
When the women wake they are well-rested, their heads as clear as shoreline air. They wake with unguarded hearts and open eyes.
They wake ready for long stories.
Saturday, 26 June 2021
'What Happens on the Ward' by Lucy Goldring
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
The 2022 Submission Window is Now Closed
Thank you to everyone who sent in work for consideration in this year's FlashFlood. For those of you still waiting for a reply, we'...
-
A shaft of sunlight fell across the worn herringbone floor, drawing his gaze upwards to the flawless blue sky beyond the row of windows, ...
-
Before we launch into a new year at FlashFlood, we'd like to take a moment to celebrate all our 2021 award nominees. Congratulations to ...
-
That's it for this year's FlashFlood! Huge thanks again to our writers, our readers, our editors , and everyone who submitted work....
No comments:
Post a Comment