What I see: A middle-aged man, in a white shirt, leaning on the table, his head resting on the table's surface. His left hand extends across his head in a relaxed manner, his right hand holding onto the liquor bottle.
What I feel: Surrender, to liquor, to running thoughts, and to life. Also, a kind of peace that comes with drowning one's thoughts, even if it's just for a few minutes before it comes swirling back.
The Story...
"Hey sis, the weight..". Zippy read the message. Her heart skipped a beat. This was Charles' call for help. Zippy dropped everything she was doing. Her breath came in short gasps as she locked the door behind her. She ran towards the street where she waved down a taxi.
"Titanic Street," she said to the taxi driver passively, as she tried to dial her brother's phone again. This time, the voicemail notified her that it was full, so no message could be taken. The one hour drive stretched for an eternity. The driver had to snap her out of her reverie. She paid the driver and ran up the porch steps, not waiting for change. Every second felt stolen.
As she walked into the sitting room, a heavy silence and darkness greeted her. "Charles?" She called only to be answered by stillness. She reached for the light switch. There he was, lying on his desk, an empty bottle of liquor next to him in a tight grip, residue clinging on the bottom for dear life.
Softly shaking him, she tried to wake him up, but he was too deep in a stupor to hear her. She checked his pulse, steady. "Thank God," she whispered to herself before she wandered into the kitchen. As she made him some soup to sooth the alcohol's grip, her heart wept for her dear brother. She took him into her arms, his upper body resting on her like he did when they were little. She rocked him gently and urged him to take the soup.
After gaining consciousness, she didn't rush to ask for an explanation nor to blame. The last thing Charles needed was somebody pointing fingers at him. Since he laid his fiance to rest, life stripped of its meaning. He still blamed himself for her loss. Liquor helped him numb the pain. She continued to hold him in a reminder that, as long as she lives, he has her to lean on, any time of the day. She didn't know how long it'd take for Charles to heal, but she knew he wouldn't have to do it alone.
Thank you for reading❤️!