Carefully, Alan made his way along the rocks that peppered the ground. In the crook of his right elbow, he held a bouquet of roses which he gently removed and placed on the tombstone in front of him.
Dry-eyed, he stood before the grave of the man he had only known as his father through a picture. Head bowed, he spoke in a monotone, almost as if he was afraid of disturbing the other corpses that lay in the ground beneath his feet. ‘I hope you’re okay, Pop. We’re doing fine. Nana came home yesterday from the hospital. She seems better but the cough hasn’t really gone away. Mom’s working double shifts too. I made the team. Coach says I need to work harder though.’
Pausing, he kneeled, picked up a blade of grass and pocketed it. Without saying good-bye, he turned and moved three rows away to a grave that looked different from the rest. It had no tombstone, no marker and no name. On top of a mound of crudely dug earth, someone had traced an ‘X’.
Alan stood before the spot and dropped the blade of grass on the shabby grave. ‘I’m back. I don’t even know why I keep coming back. Yet, I hope one day I can understand why you killed my dad even before I had a chance to know him.’
~~~~
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That was a really tragic twist in the tale :(. Would love to know why his dad was killed. Maybe a prequel to the story like something happening in flashback? 🙂
A tragic tale briliantly narrated, as usual. After all these posts, I still for it. Didn’t see that end coming. 🙂
Sad and powerful!
Such a powerful post! Loved the twist!
Death is a Profound inevitable truth.X marks is a nice story.?
Powerful post Shailaja! 🙂 Once again you make your mark as in X marks the spot: brilliantly written as usual with your unique twist! 😉 <3
Oh? I didn’t realize it had anything to do with war! 😉 <3
Nice use of X! Good twist.
Oh! What? :O
Thank you Sundari 🙂
Sorry if I upset you, Suzy 🙁
Thanks Devika 🙂
More than we can fathom. Thanks Prasanna.
True, Janaki. Thanks for reading. <3
Thanks for reading, Pooja.
That makes me glad. Thanks Vinodini!
Thank you kindly, Mary!
Sigh, yes. Sad story of many young kids who lost their fathers due to war.
Yes, I actually thought a good deal and could NOT come up with a satisfactory word, so went with a phrase 😀
Yes, I shall continue to shock and awe you 😀
Thank you 🙂 Glad you didn’t guess it 😉
That was quite startling Shailaja 🙂
My A-Z posts here: http://sundarivenkatraman.blogspot.in/
How tragic. That is really sad. Wasn’t expecting that twist.
Whoa! I’m having goose bumps here!
My link: http://www.devikafernando.com/blog/blogging-from-a-to-z-challenge-letter-x-xtra
So heartbreaking that he never knew his father. Brilliant twist.
Didn’t expect it. Very sad and heartbreaking.
tragic twist in the tale.
This looked like a scene right out of a movie. Dramatic and emotional.
Heartbreaking . . . and powerful.
How tragic and terribly sad.
Hmm.. one more that seems to beg a prequel/sequel ;). I liked the use of X too, instead of an obscure word that starts with the letter.
So incredibly sad, but that was quite the twist. Did not see that coming.
*Shantala @ ShanayaTales*
Oh wasn’t expecting that twist!