and then she paused momentarily, long enough to steal one final glance at the place she had for so many years called home. Nothing but an empty shell, she told herself, attempting to comfort her weary soul. Nothing but an empty shell.
Paulette turned away from the dreary house and made her way in silence to the car. Sliding in behind the wheel she inserted the key into the ignition but did not start the engine. Something deep inside told her it would be disrespectful to break the early morning silence with the vulgarity of internal combustion. Looking out though the cracked windshield she watched as the sky glowed crimson, then yellow, and finally azure. She cried, silent sobs wracking her body until she could contain the sorrow no longer. A single piteous wail rose up from the depths of her body and assailed the morning.
Having no watch, Paulette was unaware how much time had passed. Her tears ran dry, her body ached with the effort of her grief, she had no pain left to offer. The day had begun, and she would have to move through it without those she had come to love, those she had come to cherish, those to whom she had given all she could. She was truly alone.
If she did not move forward now, she would be pulled into a pool of grey from which she would never ascend. If she did not push herself to be human despite her incalculable loss, she would forever be slave to her mourning. If she did not move…but how could she?
She must.
Rubbing the distress from her eyes, Paulette reached for the key, turned it and winced as the old engine coughed to life. The morning was shattered. Stepping on the gas pedal she pulled away from the curb, never looking back.
She was human again.
Human, and alone.
Paulette turned away from the dreary house and made her way in silence to the car. Sliding in behind the wheel she inserted the key into the ignition but did not start the engine. Something deep inside told her it would be disrespectful to break the early morning silence with the vulgarity of internal combustion. Looking out though the cracked windshield she watched as the sky glowed crimson, then yellow, and finally azure. She cried, silent sobs wracking her body until she could contain the sorrow no longer. A single piteous wail rose up from the depths of her body and assailed the morning.
Having no watch, Paulette was unaware how much time had passed. Her tears ran dry, her body ached with the effort of her grief, she had no pain left to offer. The day had begun, and she would have to move through it without those she had come to love, those she had come to cherish, those to whom she had given all she could. She was truly alone.
If she did not move forward now, she would be pulled into a pool of grey from which she would never ascend. If she did not push herself to be human despite her incalculable loss, she would forever be slave to her mourning. If she did not move…but how could she?
She must.
Rubbing the distress from her eyes, Paulette reached for the key, turned it and winced as the old engine coughed to life. The morning was shattered. Stepping on the gas pedal she pulled away from the curb, never looking back.
She was human again.
Human, and alone.
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