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Standing on the precipice between life and death, the man remembered – kissing his wife, holding his son, everything that made life worth living. The Market crashed, and he’d lost it all. After the house was taken from him, his wife and son soon followed. Each step that led to this moment had seemed so inconsequential – until the last. It was true. Your life passed before your eyes. He closed them now, felt the wind catch within the folds of his jacket like wings – an angel in flight. |
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Crash by Catherine Russell
Filed under Catherine Russell
52|250 A Year of Flash 
Catherine, your writing soars when it’s about death. I think you should put your death pieces together. 100 Deaths or something like that. Perhaps you already have.
That is SUCH a good idea, Guy!
I like this even more the second time. I find myself wondering if and what song was playing when he jumped. Thank you for sharing.
I liked this, though its depressing to read about so many people offing themselves. But you do have a way of killing characters beautifully. :)
Really like the way you’ve set up that opening paragraph, Catherine. A common story told in an uncommon way.
Poignant. I like it.
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Would have commented sooner but I didn’t see a tag for this on your main blog. Jumping off buildings is a dark fantasy that I believe many people share. Always saddening for someone when they make that fantasy reality.
so sad!, I want to reach out and grab his jacket and say “Don’t do it!” Then I’d invite him for a cup of coffee. :)
An angel in flight…a good man who had lost everything.
Powerful micro Catherine, there is so much said in this short piece.
this is quite sad, but very beautiful in a way. Love the brevity.
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Such a vivid scene in so few words Catherine, one of your best.
This is especially hard-hitting for me as my cousin killed himself last week, the last person in the world you’d imagine doing such a thing. In fact there have been several #fridayflash pieces this week that have touched on the subject – interesting.
“Each step that led to this moment had seemed so inconsequential” really struck me. So true. Great story.
This is perfectly formed – a prose poem. Nothing to add or take away. Thanks for sharing this.
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He closed them now, felt the wind catch within the folds of his jacket like wings – an angel in flight.
“the wind catch within the folds of his jacket like wings”
Gorgeous, Cathy, just gorgeous! I really like Guy’s idea.. .even the title is intriguing. Better scoop it up before someone else does.
You write of death like no other. And I mean that in a great way.
So much revealed in so few words! Powerful writing. :-)
Short and razor sharp. I’m especially found of the central paragraph:
Each step that led to this moment had seemed so inconsequential – until the last. It was true. Your life passed before your eyes.
(I just wanted to say/see that again.) This is truth, unfortunately. Really well done.
Um, that was meant to be ‘fond’ there, not ‘found’. As is obvious – but I just couldn’t walk away and leave it. (Oh, for an edit button!)
You’ve made this so beautiful and poignant. It is heart-wrenching and honest. Great flash.
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