A Bitter Farewell

I have found that the best way to practice writing is through creative writing prompts. This eliminates the stress and pressure of trying to write a full story, because you can write as little or as much as you like. It's just for practice, so instead of feeling overwhelmed and losing the creative juices, you can relax and let it flow. Here is one that I wrote the other day:

Not a sound could be heard in the tiny, run down house, save the sound of forks on the ceramic plates, and the ceiling fan humming. Kain sat hunched over, scowling at his thin stew, as his mother tried once more to talk to him. “Kain honey, I just don’t understand why you would do this. Throwing your life away on drugs and petty crime? I never would have thought I would get a call from the station about you. I’m used to it with your father, but I thought you were better than that. I had such high hopes for you!”

Kain didn’t look up. His dark eyes continued to stare bitterly at his plate. His mother sighed. The lines and wrinkles on her face told a long tale of worry and hard labor. She still wore her work clothes, and her grey hair was falling out of the elastic that held it up. She gazed out the window and leaned back in her chair, deep in thought.

“Life’s a lot more complicated than you think, Ma,” he muttered. Then looking up he held her gaze, and said more strongly, “I’m not doing this because of you, okay? It’s never been about you. I just did what I had to do to survive.”

She didn’t speak. She watched his face for some time, searching him out. He didn’t back down; his pride wouldn’t let him. Finally she turned again to the window and bit her lip, fighting tears. Kain leaned back and watched the ceiling fan for a moment or two before he spoke. “I thought of all people, you would understand.” She watched him rise to his feet. “But I guess I was wrong.” At that he strode quickly out the kitchen door and never returned.

~~~