“The fire escape is rusty,” Henry said.
“It always had been since we started sitting out here at age thirteen,” Jess responded.
“Five years on, other things have changed. The rising sun is threatening to take you. You’ll go, I’ll never see you again.”
“I won’t forget you.”
“Is what they always say.”
“Only mouths are we. Who sings the distant heart which safely exists in the center of all things?”
“My lips sing for you,” Henry said. “Like any good music, it will exist and disappear. Only lingering in the memory of those who were there.”
“Make me a memory then. Let your lips sing unrestrained from any promises other than tonight.”
“I will my darling. You will be my masterpiece. Our lips will speak about it years hence, but they will do this moment no justice.”
“I hope so,” she said smiling.
A prosery prompt from d’Verse. A 144 word long story that includes the quote “Only mouths are we. Who sings the distant heart which safely exists in the center of all things?”
Copyright © 2021 TJS Sherman All rights reserved.
Beautiful story. ❤
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Thank you, trying to do something with so little (but most big things are said with few words).
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Very “prosery,” if that can be considered an adjective — poetic prose.
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I tried to keep the poetry in mind while writing the prose. Thank you for commenting on it.
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First love is never forgotten… I love your sweet story of romance and break up! It is always tough!
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Wonderful writing, beautiful expressions. 🙂
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Thank you, I tried not to over think it.
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A beautifully encapsulated love story!
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The briefest ones often are, too short to go sour.
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Such a beautiful and sweet love story! 🌹
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I’m glad you enjoyed it!
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This is incredibly exquisite! I love how seamlessly you have incorporated the line by Rilke.. it fits 🙂 and gosh.. the chemistry between them is to die for! Thank you so much for writing to the prompt 💝💝
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Thank you for offering such beautiful words to build off of.
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On the fire escape … anything is possible.
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Sounds like you have some experiences 🙂
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This is lovely… and also a heartbreaking moment… I hope the memory will lead them back to unison again.
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Start tuned for the sequel.
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