Mark was in elementary school when he lost his twin brother. He would play and do all sorts of things with his brother. At school, they shared the same class and the same chair; their mother was their class teacher then, so even there, they were fond of each other.
A few days after the funeral of his brother, Mark was forced to resume school, which he did reluctantly. His mother was still grieving, as not only did she lose her son, she had news that her brother, who was missing for years, had been found alive; it was a very emotional and sensitive period for her. She would sit sometimes and would be so lost in thought that she would not hear any sound, even the loud cry of her children.
Mum! Mum! Her little daughter would cry out, but she would not move an inch because she was deep in thought; only when Mark came close to her to touch and call out for her.
Mum! Your phone is ringing, Mark had told his mother; this was the moment she got the news of her brother's return.
Martha! A soft voice sounded at the other end; it was me, Benjamin, her brother, who would speak from the other side of the phone. She was filled with a mix of feelings and wasn’t sure if it was good news or a sad one, but she knew it made her feel better.
Mathew, who was the son she had just lost to death, always had a favourite spot for everything; he had a favourite spot even on the chair he shared with his brother in class. Mark and Mathew were closer during school than they used to be at home, and Mark knew he would miss his brother even more if he dared return to school.
On the first day of his resumption, Mark had entered the class but refused to sit on the chair he shared with his brother.
Sorry about the loss of your brother, everyone greeted Mark, while others went further to tell him that if he needed new friends, they were there for him.
It still felt strange for him, even after weeks, that his brother was no more, but it became worse when he came into the class and could not sit in his brother's favourite spot on the chair they shared.
Mark: Let me sit at this side, today
Mathew: No, please, it will make me sad, and it will ruin the rest of the day for me.
Mark thought of the only time he had asked his brother to switch positions on the chair.
His mother walked into the class and noticed that her son had refused to sit on the chair that was assigned to him. She hadn’t seen him grieving his brother; it was the first time he was acting differently since his brother passed away.
Martha: Why are you not sitting on your chair, Mark?
His mother asked him, but all he did was stay silent and didn't respond to his mother. But as soon as his mother asked a different child to share the seat with him, he rose up fast in protest against his mother.
Mark: Mum! I will sit alone.
His mother had understood everything and only walked back to the board after Mark had sat down on his chair.
Class work! His mother wrote on the board. “Write a story about your most memorable moment and who you shared that moment with”.
She did this because she knew it would be the only way her son would express the emotions he had bottled up all this while.
Mark didn’t start writing immediately, not until the class assistant had gone round the class to announce that they had little time to finish their essay. Mark loved education and would never play with his education; his mother knew that and had taken advantage of that to make her son pour out his emotions on paper. She was observing him all through and was relieved when she saw that he had started writing.
He wrote roughly on a piece of paper, but he knew he wouldn't be able to submit the piece of paper, not only because it was rough, but also because he was supposed to write it in his notebook.
Class assistant: Time Up!
The time had elapsed, and Mark had barely written a sentence. While the class assistant went round to collect everyone's essay, Martha went straight up to Mark and asked him for he's. He looked away while trying to wipe off the tears in his eyes. She felt an instant relief seeing that he had started to let out some emotions. She gave him a gentle tap on his back and picked up the rough sheet of paper on his desk with so much anticipation to see what he had written down. Her heart sank deep seeing that the only thing he had managed to scribble down was the words "I miss you so much, Mark". She looked back at Mark, and for the first time since his brother's death, Mark broke down and cried. She held him tight, and they both wept together.
Mark wasn't able to submit his essay that day, but he was able to let go of the pain he had bottled up inside.
Thank you for reading through my post. My name is@rishagamo, and above is my response to the week’s prompt 41, “THE CHAIR ”
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The death of a loved one makes us shut ourselves off and let the pain fester, only to explode like a pressure cooker. A very interesting story to read, with so many emotions on display.
Thanks for sharing your story with us.
Excellent day
Thank you for reading through and for engaging with my post.
This is a well-developed, effective story @rishagamo. I'd like to offer a tip about making the writing clearer for the reader: quotation marks.
At some points in the story it is hard to follow whether you are referring to Mark or Mathew. If quotation marks were used in dialogue that would be a good cue for the reader.
You do have an excellent story arc, and that is really what a story hangs on. :)
Thank you so much for reading through and for the tip. I will do better next time because of your correction. I appreciate your contribution.
Happy writing :)
Signal
Type: original post | Authentic: authentic | Importance: important
Topic: Depression and grief: The Empty Seat
Tags: #story #fiction #writing #reflection #melancholy
Claim: The author shares the heartbreaking story of Mark, a boy who suffers the misfortune of losing a loved one. Their absence leaves a void in his life, like an empty seat.
Stance: support
10 — When the need arises to express feelings, it is best to do so constructively: either by speaking or writing it down on a piece of paper.
Why it matters: Coping with loss is never easy, especially the loss of a loved one. That's why it's important to respect and understand those who are grieving, support them, and give them the time they need so they don't lose themselves.