Alone on a Boat -- Short story --
Alone on a Boat
Alone on a boat
The room was pristine and clean. Mr. Smith was lying with one of his legs up in a typical hospital bed. His whole body felt numb. He felt trapped. He couldn't move His heart pounding hard on his chest. He could hear the monitor beeping next to him. The walls of the room were simply cream, not peeling or dirty, just cream. Only one thing was hung on the wall it was a simple little painting just above the chair that Ms. Smith was sitting on. She looked different from the last time he had seen her, older and like she hadn't slept for days.
She turned toward him and her eyes lit up “O my dear” she hollered “You are finally awake. I am so sorry” she started crying all her tears out. “I am so sorry” she kept repeating looking out into the window that gave a view of the hospital garden. It was raining. Some chrysanthemums were placed on a high round table next to the open window where he could hear the wind against it. He couldn’t look at her, he was avoiding eye contact. She stood up and sat next to her husband on the white sheet of the uncomfortable bed.
He finally looked at her with his vision still fogged. “It’s not your fault” he whispered out of his dried pale lips. “War just does that to a man.” He looked away towards the painting. It was so peaceful, so normal and he liked that. Ms. Smith pressed her hands on his cold fingers and smiled awkwardly with her tears drying on her face.
He pulled his hand away with a feeling of discomfort and without hesitation expressed “I need to be alone right now.” Her face darkened, she looked at him with a cold glare, a stare of despair. But without saying anything she walked out the door without looking back. He suddenly felt lighter. But his eyes getting heavier and his body tighter. The only thing he wanted to do was crawl out of his skin. Mr. Smith once more starting to contemplate the canvas on the wall. At first, it was blurry, he was still getting used to the bright yellowish lights. Then the painting became more focused, the sea was extended in the whole drawing. It was so harmonious, the waves were in disorder and crashing on the boat, but at the same time so tranquil. A boat was placed in the middle of the scenery. A small brown rowboatt. A man was laying on the smooth raft. The sun in the painting looked so warm on the man’s skin. He was alone in the middle of the ocean. It looked like paradise.
Laura
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