THE LONELY DESERT 

By Tessa Harvey

    Phil and Joan asked about her life, her family, her friends. They were marvellous listeners. Few people really listened, just tuning out or thinking about the next thing they could say, creating pauses, whether the speaker was ready or not. And they smiled delightedly when she described her large and funny family. Finally Shayla told them why she had left this large and funny family. A baby had been left to die following a full-term abortion at the hospital where she worked. They looked suitably sad and, no matter his private views, Phil waited. Then Joan said very quietly and softly "Oh my poor dear, how distressing. What happened?!" She reached out her own soft bejewelled hand and patted Shayla's worn small one. It was the last straw. Shayla began to cry and missed the quick victory glance of Adolf and Hitler.
    The baby had looked so beautiful - warm brown skin, rapidly turning blue and cold. He looked puzzled, as though wondering what had happened, where his warm safe space had gone.
    "I am completely sure abortion is fine," Shayla said, looking around the small dining area with a little panic. But they were alone, others had drifted to a large TV screen near the inviting-looking bar.
    "What happened?" repeated Joan, again softly. But Shayla shook her head, her lips firmly closed. "Later," she murmured, and rose quickly from the little scarred hotel table. "So tired." And the young woman walked quickly to her small dingy room. Looking at her reflection in the small speckled mirror, she thought, shaking out her beautiful auburn hair, "I am no dumb blond. I'm smarter than that."

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

THE CHASM  By Tessa Harvey     Driving into the school parking lot, Margaret saw her eldest loping towards the car. "Mum! I'm to represent the school in the Science Fair next week. Charlie, Joe and me with out spinning, adjustable wind tower. One of the two in our shopping centre never works,  or barely. Isn't it great?!"      Eva arrived next with Mischa between Luca and Livia. They had all had a good day and her smallest was smiling.     "Jeus love us," said Mischa in a clear high voice. The family were astounded and all fell silent. Mischa was on the autism scale. After a few months at school, he was looking people in the eyes and beginning to smile. Margaret did not minimise all the care the whole family had showered on Mischa, but now he was coming on in leaps and bounds. And now she had some more wonderful news, but that could wait for Nicholas. Ariella was perched on the edge of the hospital bed, swinging her feet like a child. Her par...
Read more
Image
THE CHASM   By Tessa Harvey     Sandra felt road beneath her feet. It felt so good. She closed her eyes in relief. Then light swept towards her. She waved frantically. The car slowed. The people inside opened a window.     Sandra was sobbing, but managed to explain. "I can't get a phone signal," she cried. "Please, can you try?" A  woman got out of the car and tried to phone, but there was no signal. The man said "I'll go down the road a bit." Breathless, Sandra begged to be in the car and climbed in. The other lady got a torch from the boot. "I will look while you get help." It felt surreal. Darkness was deepening the mist. The woman flashed the torch. It illuminated her feet and a little bit of the path. It was enough. "Lord, you are a lamp to my feet," she prayed. As she went, she called out. There was a faint answering cry. The woman knew that voice. "Hold on Dylan. I'm coming. It's time to pray, friend."  ...
Read more
Image
THE CHASM   By Tessa Harvey     Soon Eva sauntered over. At eleven, she was growing fast. "Where is Jono?" she asked. "Coming, we hope, and hello to you, Eva." "Oh, sorry, hi mum, hi kids." Margaret hid a smile. Eva had obviously decided it was teenage time.     A tall boy hurried up. Like his siblings, he had many of his mother's Italian features, but his hair was more auburn like his Irish father and his eyes a stunning blue, not a lovely toffee brown.     "Mum, the principal wants to talk to you. Someone rang up to ask about us." "Then it will be later, son. We have to eat."     "Yum, what's for tea!" "I'm starving," several voices asked. "I could eat a horse," Luka said. "How did you guess?" responded his mother, laughing.     Margaret hastened down the corridor dodging visitors, doctors, hospital trolleys, tea and coffee volunteers. She saw a young man ahead of her and slowed, puz...
Read more