Elixir (a flash fiction by Revathi Raj Iyer)

          {Photo credit - Firewords, UK}

This illustration belongs to and was published in Firewords, UK in the second quarterly issue, 2016 as part of their flash fiction challenge of not more than 400 words.

Based on their illustration, here is my story titled - “Elixir”

The moon had disappeared beneath the sheath of clouds and the night hung heavily like a pall of gloom. It was the darkest night ever in the history of mankind. There was pin drop silence. The earth was barren and there were no signs of life on the planet. The air was musty with an awful stench that could make a person puke to death. Planet earth was nearing her end, but, for that last hope.

The silence of the night was shattered by a sudden deafening sound of an unfathomable energy, followed by a weak squeak, a tweak and a mild thud.

“Save me, please. Can somebody help? I see nothing around. Don’t let me die. Please somebody help,” pleaded the branch as it lay helplessly with one last leaf that held the elixir of life.

“I am bleeding. Please somebody help me,” cried out the branch. A sharp pain shot through its veins. In spite of the gusty wind that blew mercilessly, it held on to that leaf with all its might.

“Please help me!” The shrill voice resonated.

Laila literally fell off the couch as she saw her mother stand right in front of her, pressing a tissue over her left thumb. She was momentarily befuddled and it took her a few seconds to gather herself. All of a sudden she realized that the call for help from the dying branch, had in fact, coincided with the ones that came from the kitchen.

“I have been screaming for help for God knows how long. Show some concern,” said her mother angrily and turned off the television.

Laila was horrified to see traces of blood all over her mother’s apron. She ran upstairs to get the first aid kit.

“How did this happen?” asked Laila, as she dressed up her mother’s wound. Thankfully, the blood had stopped oozing by then.

“I was chopping this humongous pumpkin to make your favourite soup,” said her mother softening up.

“By the way, what in God’s name were you watching?” she asked.

As Laila narrated about the dying branch with one green leaf that held the elixir of life, her mother listened in rapt attention.

“What happened to the leaf?” she asked eagerly.

“Well mother, if only you had hurt your thumb a few minutes later,” Laila answered with an impish grin.

******

Although Elixir did not emerge a winner in the flash fiction contest of Firewords, UK, their feedback was quite gratifying:) Here is what they wrote:

“The Firewords team really enjoyed reading your submission. The convergence of the two stories was jarring and shocking; a very powerful aspect to the flash. Both stories worked well individually but we did like the relationship between the mother and the elixir. This subtlety was the important link between the two worlds.”