Slammed Doors, Empty Houses
Prompt 53 “ I’m not coming home, don’t look for me.” @foreversilenthere
Pauline stood in the darkened room, her tear stained face illuminated by the lamplight around her. Her home was now empty as Brian had slammed the door and walked right out on her.
She was a broken woman. Pauline Spake felt broken. “ I’m not coming home, don’t look for me.” The harsh words stung again as her mind reeled. Her husband Brian bellows before slamming the door in her face.
Pauline had revealed her most precious secret to Brian, after years of longing and hurt, and it had come back to her as a slap in the face. He no longer saw her as the love of his life, he felt betrayed.
Brian couldn’t formulate any thoughts, only anger. He saw red. Clenching his fists, he tried to collect himself but found the thoughts he tried to keep internalized spewing out right to Pauline.
At that very moment, he Brian Spake was done.
She shut her eyes, pausing in the dark remembering how the past few months unfolded in her life, especially after rekindling her relationship with her son. Her sweet, sweet Johnny.
She thought about the struggles, the losses, the children that never came to be. It broke her. It was a heavy burden to carry like no other.
She had tried to fill the void however she could and hide the brokenness under her bed, in a little box.
The box.
This box housed memories, her past. A life she’d had before Brian and her son. Her beautiful baby boy she’d given up.
She rubbed a hand across her empty stomach desperate to cling to the memories of life inside. How could she have been foolish to think she could hide this secret for so long? How did she expect Brian to react? He’d wanted a child for so long and well, it didn’t happen.
“ I’m sorry.” she muttered to nobody in particular.
Pauline wiped her tears and slowly made her way back towards her room, her feet feeling heavy with each step she took. She took a shaky breath as she touched the knob and couldn’t help but whimper knowing what was awaiting her.
Emptiness, loneliness, darkness.
She kicked off her heels somewhere near the door and finally came to sit on the edge of her bed. “ I’m nobody’s anything.” the voice in her head taunts.


















