I Said You Said

Free prose styled poem/short story

I said wake up, but you dusted me off with a wave of your hand and I fell to the floor to lay by your shoes. The shoes that I had not gotten you for your birthday, but for the following day, after you said the timing was off and there was no point. I had put them on the ground by your side of the bed, the side I now lay on, next to the layer of dust that covered your shoes. 

You continued to sleep like I didn't exist, so silent that I questioned myself if you even exist. So for the next three minutes I stopped my breathing to listen for yours until I was satisfied with the fuuu of your exhale. And like the dust on your shoes I felt forgotten and I swear I felt a layer of dust slowly covering over me on your floor of forgotten things. 

I could feel the layer of dust piling heavier now, like the thick, patched quilt we used to share by the fire. But one thing I remember about that night was that an edge of the quilt was burned off. Which made me wonder if it was ash, and not dust, that was piling upon my shoulders.

The white duvet that covered our bed hung without life in front of my face. And I pulled on it like our dog would every morning, asking to be fed. If we ever had a dog. But because it always works, I heard you shift out of your sleep and felt you staring at the white ceiling. Then you said get up and I answered what for?

Author's Note

For this piece, I wrote with no quotation for speech and wanted to make it feel strange and a like a train of thought. Feedback would be lovely! Thanks

Reviews

[writ rajat]

very good poem
i admire this

[Libby Carsons]

thanks you so much!