Flash Fiction - The Bell

Prompt: "She pulled the curtain aside and peered into the darkness as a tear slipped out and trailed down her cheek."

The Bell

She pulled the curtain aside and peered into the darkness as a tear slipped out and trailed down her cheek.

What a difference 24 hours makes. Last night at this time, she had been sleeping soundly when she heard the school bell ringing.  It was a small bell she had given her Father so that he could summon her in the night if he needed anything.

This time it was only to say that he was thirsty, but when she brought his glass of water, he had fallen back to sleep.  He slept a lot these days, which was good, because when he was awake, his body was often wracked with coughing fits and pain.

She would hear no bell tonight, for just before noon today, Father had slipped away. It was a quiet transition from this world to the next, but for the anguish in her heart as she watched him go.

Just as she thought she would not be able to bear it, a ray of sunshine came in through the window beside his bed and stole across his face, then disappeared again.  “He’s with me, now,” she heard in her spirit, and although her heart was breaking, it was also rejoicing with the knowledge that he was with Jesus and that she would see him again one day.

She looked up at a hazy moon and whispered, “Good night, Fathers.”

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(Copyright © 2010, 2011 Jan Christiansen. All rights reserved.)