Word spread throughout the workforce: Joe was missing. He hadn’t been seen since the Christmas break. His wife was asking anyone that knew anything to please call.
New Year’s Eve she received the letter. Joe had driven into the lake. No explanations. No blame. No reasons why. “Just to let you know you can quit looking and where to find me “it read.
There’s an empty spot when someone you know commits suicide. It’s a hole that can never be filled.
It nags at you for all the rest of your life.
It doesn’t matter how close you are to the victim.
The question is always the same.
Why?
This week’s photo: © Shaktiki Sharma
Friday Fictioneers is a weekly 100 word writing challenge inspired by a picture prompt. Click here to read other stories.
September is National Suicide Awareness Month. Click here for more information.
The Day After 
Oh this is sad, but the photo does rather lend itself to “work left unfinished”. beautifully expressed.
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Yes, exactly! I don’t know what is in this picture but that was what it said to me. Thanks for your comment.
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It certainly lead people in many different directions…
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Heart-breaking.
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Its always so hard to wrap your head around the concept of suicide. For the most part I don’t think anyone other than the victim every really knows.
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Very sad, Dawn and very true – that loss remains with families forever. Nicely told tale
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Thanks Lynn. This one stumped me. I have no idea what I am looking at here.
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Haha! I know what you mean, I felt like that at first. Then I realised it was a quern and I started thinking about millers and wrote a story which really doesn’t rely on millers or milling at all! Such is how the mind works 🙂
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Okay..well I still don’t know abut at least now I can google quern.
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🙂
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I have no idea how that photo prompted this story of yours but who cares? It was a powerful short tale. Expertly done. 🙂
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Thank you Emilio
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Yes, a life shortened leaves us with so many unanswered questions.
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Indeed 😦
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Really one of your best… maybe the only thing we can do is ask ourselves why… but it might be like picking at scabs.
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Yes, I think so too. Thank you Bjorn
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So true, so insightful; this is something I will think about for quite some time.
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But is he dead, or is that his metaphorical way to tell her he’s gone and don’t look? Not sure.
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No. He’s dead.
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Quite emphatic there, Dawn!
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Very sad and poignant. (I’m a bit confused though about the second half of his note: “and where to find me” Did he actually write those words which is what the piece suggests, or did he tell her in the note where his body could be found?)
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Yes he told her, although those exact words do not appear in this story. But i see where it could be confusing. I probably could have written it better. Maybe I will next time.
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A very insightful piece. It must be terrible when someone close does that, and you know that you were powerless to help.
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Indeed.
Thanks for reading Sandra.
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Exactly that. And ‘could I have done something to prevent it.’ Hammer story, Dawn.
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Thank you
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Dear Dawn,
Timely, and powerfully well written story.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Thank you Rochelle
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Yes, this is sad. One of my co-workers committed suicide, so I understand plenty.
Nice story, Dawn.
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This is so sad.
I hate those why questions.
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Another great piece of writing, Dawn.
You set the bar high these days.
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Thank you Ceayr for that generous comment.
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How desperate one must be to commit suicide. And how sad for those left behind wondering why?
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Yes….
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Sad and powerful. You’ll always wonder why and if you could have done something.
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So true 😦
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I read it as him still being alive, punishing her for some reason.
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Well that’s interesting!
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Very sad. His letter was I’m sure intended to offer some closure and relief but it didn’t succeed in either
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No….I am sure it did not.
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A sad story, and a good way to approach a tragic topic. The confusion, the letter that doesn’t answer the one question needing answered, the networks of people affected by it. Well told.
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Thank you Margaret
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It looks like we both had the same thoughts, Dawn, about the photo prompt. : )
A sensitively written story. Sad … as suicide is never the answer … and … yes, it leaves those left behind always wondering.
Isadora 😎
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There was something about this picture that said unfinished to me. I’ll pop over and read yours. Sorry I missed it on my first round.
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No problem, Dawn, it can be hard to get to everyones stories. Thank you in advance. 😎
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Suicide is very sad. I’ve been close to the relatives of three suicide victims, my mother’s first husband (that was long before my mother married my father), my brother’s daughter, and my husband’s sister. It leaves an invisible scar and hole. Good writing. —- Suzanne
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My goodness..I am so sorry for your pain Suzanne.
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