THE BONDAGE
PHOTO PROMPT © Liz Young
By Neel Anil Panicker
A caged bird.
That’s what he was, that’s what he felt like.
It had been so, was always so…ever since the surgery, ever since he’d lost contact with sanity.
They came, his family, or whatever was left of it; the visits a formality__infrequent, whistle stop tours that began and ended quicker than the waves that lashed the perimeters of his sea-facing hut.
Only Chelsea stayed loyal, sliding upto him, licking filth and grime off his non-existent legs everytime he coughed blood and bile.
Was the only one who didn’t pass judgements; called him mad; or worse, left him for dead.
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This sounds like a very miserable existence. Good job he’s got Chelsea.
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Who are what is Chelsea, I wonder.
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Not a happy place to be.
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Dear Neel,
My hunch is that Chelsea is a dog. No one could be more loyal or love so unconditionally. The despair in this piece is tangible.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Very true. Chelsea is a dog and only a dog could love so unconditionally. Thanks Rochelle.
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Painful but well written piece,Neel.
But you might want to rethink the verb tenses in the last sentence?
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Thanks Ceayr. The last sentence was more of a declaration. Hence, the deliberate shift in the tenses.
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It’s your story, sir!
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Great story, Neel! Your hero has a grittiness that makes him real. You hint that he’s at least partly chosen this way of living, and he’s showing courage in persisting.
As a matter of interest – vis a vis your discussion with CE above – did you originally write your last sentence in the present tense? If you did, I fully agree with you; it’s a clever shift of emphasis.
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Thanks Penny. That’s how i thought and wrote the entire story including the last sentence. I am glad you noticed and appreciated it.
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Oh my, so sad. I love the loyalty of the dog. Dogs are good like that. But, to live rejected seems like no life at all. Good writing, Neel.
Isadora 😎
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A wretched existence for now…do i smell a comeback?
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Horrendous. Non-existent legs? Amputation? One’s imgaination runs wild, and I think this is one of your best.
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Thanks a lot, madam
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So intriguing.
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