Silent Scream

Posted byChristine BoltonPosted inBlog, Flash FictionTags:, , ,

Silent Scream – Prosery

The rules of the conversation were laid out forcefully, explicitly.  He was not to speak or interrupt, only listen.  He was warned that if he became upset or enraged it would not be tolerated.

These harsh words spoken by someone who supposedly loved him and a person he adored.  These words so different from those of great love shared just hours before.  He was inwardly distressed but scared to show his feelings, fearing repercussions.

He stood motionless, staring, and unable to form a response.  He felt his usual docile temperament was pushed and prodded to its breaking point.  The hornet’s nest had been poked for the last time. His shadow shouts on a nightmare scream that his mouth unintentionally released.  He did not hear his words only of their delivery.  He grasped at the air trying to pull them back, but it was too late.

 

Christine Bolton – Poetry for Healing © 

Bjorn is hosting D’Verse Poets Prosery Challenge tonight and has prompted us with a line from Maya Angelou’s famous poem “Caged Bird“

The line we must include in this challenge is: his shadow shouts on a nightmare scream. The Prosery piece should be exactly 144 words excluding the title.

Image by Layers from Pixabay

Published by Christine Bolton

I have been writing poetry since I was a child and it has helped in the good times and bad times. I am always looking within to find the answers to life's problems and to write thought-provoking poetry and prose. Thanks for checking it out. Christine

25 thoughts on “Silent Scream”

  6. A powerful piece. I’m left wondering where the truth is in this relationship. I’m interested in your choice of gender, too – this would be very different if this was a female protagonist, I think. Making it male shifts the dynamic a bit.

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    1. Thanks Sarah. I wanted to write from the female perspective but the line from Maya’s poem lent itself to the male. I then switched it to a parent-child situation.

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  7. I like the way you set the rules out in the opening paragraph, Christine, to draw the reader in – making them feel that they must also follow the rules. The second paragraph made me sit up and ask why? This must be some kind of abuse, which I find scarier than ghost and horror stories. I’m with Sarah on this one.

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    1. Yes it is about abuse Kim. A controlling situation that someone has found themself in and they are trying to claw their way back. Thank you for reading 💕🙂

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    1. Thank you. Yes. We grew up with “Sticks and stones can break my bones, but words (names) will never hurt me” Who thought that one up? 😕

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  10. A classic portrayal of verbal abuse and the ramification for the victim. Well done.

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