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The clock struck midnight and she was gone.
There was no spark of light, no crackle in the air, not a single silver shoe left behind.
She had simply vanished- vanished, not dead- when just the second before, she had lived. Her arms had hung limply at her side, breath held in, eyes fixed firmly on the clock as it ticked, closer, closer.
11:57
11:58
11:59
Voila.
And I was there, in the very place that she’d relinquished, breathing in the air that had whooshed out of her lungs, feeling the phantom touch of her, tingling.
Sparks of guilt and anger flaring up, uncalled for and unwelcome.
I felt like a snake slipped out of its skin; pristine in a way that is distinctly unpleasant, the knowledge of my own transience clouding the loss of my former skin.
You are reborn, renewed, they would say. Replaced is more like it.
She was gone, and I had never met her, never seen her. And yet, I knew her, like no else ever had.
She was a memory as faint as a song in a dream, a certain inexplicable sorrow accompanying it.
If I pictured her, it would only be as a bright unravelling spool of colour that hung from the cusp of recollection, fleeing away into the wind at the slightest threat of capture, tangling in the smatter of stars ahead.
And she would never return now, her time here was over. Over. That grandiose thought, the utter finality of it, it scared me. I had taken her place. And I would follow.
The longest hand of the clock reached twelve, and I was a minute old.
I had just twenty-three hours and fifty-nine minutes left.
I wonder if the one after me would remember.
Photo by Darius Bashar on Unsplash
Nicely done, Natalie, so beautifully expressed! Thank you for sharing. 💞
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Glad you liked it! Thank you so much! ❤
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Rêve ou réalité ? Une étrange manière de renaître sans être vraiment né… très poétiques ces minutes d’angoisse ! Bon dimanche au plaisir d’échanges et d’une visite peut-être chez moi ! 🙂 Bruno
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Intricate!
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Each day is a gift………..leaving that which, no longer is, behind…………..so beautifully written
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Reblogged this on anita dawes and jaye marie.
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Thank you so much! That really means a lot ❤
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Our pleasure, Natalie…
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“…you’ll find something that speaks to you.”
It indeed does speak to me, about someyhing I feel so much about! That’s what you call true art, I feel! Thanks for writing it.
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So glad you liked it! Thank you so much for taking the time to read and comment! ❤
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Another fantastic read! 🙂 You really pull the reader into the scene with such beautiful prose! Thanks for sharing! ❤
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Glad you liked it, Tom! ❤
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please teach me how to write 🙂
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Magnificent! ❤ I have no words.
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Thank you so much! That really means a lot ❤️
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Wow! I’m moved! This is confusing in a very clever way, because it makes you think, and I love the way you’ve paced this! Definitely one to keep thinking about, well done!! X
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Gkad you liked it! Thank you so much for taking the time to read and comment! ❤
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Kewl!
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Masterfully written!! You had me on the edge of my seat. Your diction was whimsical and prosaic, but my particular favorite line has to be this one: “She was a memory as faint as a song in a dream, a certain inexplicable sorrow accompanying it.” Seriously, how gorgeous and devastating is this line? (The whole piece, honestly.) thanks for the fantastic share!! 😊 ~Kelsey
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That means so much to me, Kelsey! Thank you so much for taking the time to read and leave such a lovely comment! You just made my day ❤
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Reblogged this on Cathy L. Higgins and commented:
This is so compelling.
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Thank you so much, Cathy! That really means a lot ❤
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Beautiful. Just beautiful! Awesome job!
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Thank you so much! ❤
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Interesting…though I find myself lost to the meaning of the story.
Nonetheless, I do like your writing. Keep up the great work
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Glad you liked it!
I must admit, I can’t figure it out myself… it’s one of those piece where I started out to write something completely different but the words took a life of their own, and I had no choice but to follow. Maybe the readers will come up with their own interpretations, as they always do, something I’m personally waiting to read… or maybe, there is simply no meaning ❤
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Yes! This. This is the most fun in writing; when it breathes on its own. Totally agree
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Great reading, thank you!🙏👍
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Glad you liked it! ❤
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Oh my gosh! This left me breathless (literally).
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Haha thank you so much. Glad you liked it! ❤
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Lovely writing!
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Thank you! ❤
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Thanks for sharing. I know I’ve said it before, but I really enjoy your writing style!
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Thank you so much! Glad you liked it! ❤
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And the most compelling fear…would the one after me remember?
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Love the metaphor and abstract analogies! It drew me in, let me float a little, then wrapped up with the gentle reminder that each day, every moment, are gifts!
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That’s such a beauitful way to put it… thank you so much for taking the time to read and share your thoughts here! Glad you liked it! ❤
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Slipping away to the next journey and untold adventures…..
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Great one. Loved it.
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Thank you! ❤
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You are welcome. You came here after a while. I wish you would share more and more.
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That really means a lot, Sunil. It does take me a while to come up with something satisfactory. I do try to stick to a twice-a-month postining schedule, but I might be shifting that to once a week during the course of the next year, maybe?
Thank you for your readership ❤
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Once a week. That would be great. Waiting for many more good pieces form you.😊
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The photo is more than appropriate…it’s perfect
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Thank you so much, Tom! ❤️
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The photo is more than appropriate..it’s perfect
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An incredible way of writing about new days dawning. So creative, Natalie!
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Thank you so much, Susi! Glad you liked it! ❤
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❤
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I love you ethereal language in this piece – it is a great read!
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Thank you so much, Jane! That really means a lot ❤
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This is BEAUTIFULLY written.
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Thank you so much! ❤
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I think some things are beautiful because of their ephemeral nature. Like all of us. Trying desperately to be immortal, but settling for leaving behind a pleasant aftertaste. You capture that very well, I think. Your prose flows more like a river. Structured, but not rigid. It’s a good change, and I look forward to the one after this.
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That was such a beautiful way to look at it, Shagnik. Thank you so much for taking the time to read and share such a lovely comment! Glad you enjoyed the piece! ❤
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I read this out loud–delectable. Such interesting timing for me too considering my recent thoughts. I love how much you captured in such short form ❤
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Glad you liked it, Ashley! Thank you so much for taking the time to read and comment! ❤️
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You could turn this poem into a great fantasy story! Love it 🙂
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This was such a coincidence; I was literally just thinking about that!
Though Ifeel like I might have some trouble in continuing the story after one day passes seeing how she pretty much loses her memory each midnight. But the idea is intruiging so I’m trying to work it out…
Glad you liked it, Mantra! ❤
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Awesome…
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Thank you! ❤
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I have such admiration for your writing.
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That really means a lot to me. Thank you so much! ❤️
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Wao Natalie, you expressed in such a wonderful series of thoughts and imagination as a reader is living through your words. Felt the depth. Awesome work
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That really means a lot to me, Raushan! Thank you so much for taking the time to read and comment! It really means a lot ❤
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Your composition is truly Marvellous…”tangling in the smatters of stars ahead” truly wow👍
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Thank you so much! Glad you liked it! ❤
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Your welcome!
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Hi, would like to talk to you regarding one of your written pieces. Do let me know a good time to talk.
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Hey, Gulraj! You can contact me through my Divulge Your Thoughts page: https://themidnightember.wordpress.com/contact/
Looking forward to hearing from you! ❤
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Nice article.I have an important topic to discuss with you.so may we???
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Thank you! You can contact me through my Divulge Your Thoughts page: https://themidnightember.wordpress.com/contact/
Looking forward to hearing from you! ❤
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Not here.Join our facebook page NetDarpan.com or email us at netdarpan@gmail.com .we will discuss there.
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Beautifully written ❤️
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Thank you so much! ❤️
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The one after, Always one after ? Dead wins.
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Jesus, Natalie, this is so very powerful…intoxicating, really. I was immediately drawn into that space, teetering between the fear of unraveling and the anticipation of liberation. You have a gift, of that there is no question.
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That means so much to me. Thank you for taking the time to read and leave such a lovely comment! I’m so glad you enjoyed the piece ❤
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Gasp. Natalie. That’s beautiful…
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Thank you so much! Glad you liked it! ❤
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Beautiful. You’ve captured Spirit leaving the body, on to the next lifetime. Our endless cycle of embodiment where there really is no space or time. Hopefully we remember what came before to take into this present life. That’s the goal – to remember. Love it!!
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That was such a fresh perspective, Julia… I’ve honestly never thought about it that way. Thank you so much for offering a new viewpoint and taking the time to read and comment! It really means a lot ❤
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Your use of language to communicate thought and emotion is superb.
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Thank you so much! Glad you liked it! ❤️
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What an interesting mystery, and very colorful descriptions! I enjoyed this one. Will this be continued or is this one people call “flash fiction”?
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I’m glad you enjoyed it! No, not a series. I guess it is Flash Fiction then.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read and comment! It really means a lot ❤
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Wonderful images! I wonder what I will do with the remaining minutes of my day.
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Haha glad you liked it! ❤
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It’s so beautiful and haunting.
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Thank you so much! Glad you liked it! ❤️
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Dope
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Before reading this, I acknowledge the fact that every day one becomes a new self, but it never touched me. So beautiful and moving 🙂
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I’m so glad you liked it! Thank you so much for taking the time to read and comment!<3
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It’s my pleasure! ❤
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This is incredible… wow !
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Thank you so much! ❤
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Powerful, I would to know a little of the back story to this piece.
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Thank you. I’m afraid it’s open to interpretation as of now. I didn’t have anything particular in mind when I wrote it, though my readers have already come up with a couple of excellent theories. What do you think?
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I was originally thinking reincarnation or reinventing yourself. But the 24 hours to the knew one comes is throwing me. I will have to think on it more .
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Looking forward to hearing what you think! ❤
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