TCD 2018-- The Dream of the Condemned

originally posted by: zosimov
a reply to: Night Star

So glad you stopped in Night! You are one of those aforementioned lovely ATS friends who has encouraged me to write-- I can't thank you enough!

That means a lot to me! Keep writing my friend!

a reply to: zosimov

This was great Zos!

Not knowing what to do with them, I let my hands fall limp at my sides.

Totally gave me a Ricky Bobby moment

a reply to: lucia2389

Thank you!! So glad you enjoyed the read, and I really appreciate the comments more than you all could know

a reply to: FauxMulder

LOL. Would never have put the two together, but I'm glad somebody did!

Gotta love some Ricky Bobby.

Thanks for reading, FM

a reply to: zosimov


That was great, could feel all the things the protagonist did.

a reply to: zosimov

Just threw my writers badge in the bin after reading that . Great job .

a reply to: zosimov

Very well written, thought provoking, emotional and beautiful story! Absolutely loved it.

a reply to: SprocketUK

Thank you! I loved yours also, I gave it a read when you first posted and loved the interesting premise well executed.

a reply to: hutch622

Oh no, please don't do that!

Thanks so much for the really kind words Hutch

a reply to: OwenandNoelle

I'm so glad you enjoyed it. Thank you for the encouragement and I really appreciate your lovely words!!!!

a reply to: zosimov


Zos....that was as beautiful as it was painful. I think you covered the full spectrum of emotional toil. I feel like I owe you a thank you for writing that.

a reply to: highvein

highvein, your comments always make me smile.
Thank you!

I have wondered often what it is about such stressful times that makes us look deeply in to ourselves. In the moment of our greatest frailty comes the moment of our most honest retrospect. Such is the measure of life's lesson. We will never know who we are as well as who we were.

Wonderfully written.

a reply to: Vroomfondel

Thank you for reading, Vroom, and for taking the time to leave your insightful comments on the topic. I love what you had to say, especially the way you put this,

Such is the measure of life's lesson.

Sounds like the title of another short fiction, or a poem.
(...Maybe you could expand on your ideas in a new piece, and if so please let me know I'd love to read it.)

a reply to: zosimov

Thank you very much. That quote was actually form a piece I have been working on (and off) for some time now. Maybe some day it will reveal itself to me. For now the greater part of it, I fear, is secreted away somewhere out of view.

“Whereas in darkness light becomes more easily detected, so then does illusion make ready the discovery of truth.” ~ Vroomfondel

What mysterious power lies within tragic loss that compels us to inventory and catalog ourselves? As catastrophic tragedy is relative, it is through our own fiendish devices and machinations that we cultivate our emotion - and tolerance thereto. Whether it be smothering sorrow or transcendent joy, it is the degree of our emotion that defines our soul and the manner in which we govern it the measure of our character.

Each person borne to this earth does possess an intangible quality that allows them to 'become'. Our identity is forged through trial and error. The final form of which is the end result of a lifetime of transient anomalous experiences chipping away that which is not our true self. It can therefore be argued that our sense of identity is the culmination of a process of elimination. Removing that which is not of our true self and retaining that which is does not, however, in itself bring light into darkness. We have not defined, but only suggested, who we truly are. At the end of our journey the only thing we have clearly identified is who we are not. Such is the measure of life's lesson.

It is only in retrospect, in the eyes of others, that 'we' become clear.

That is the light in the darkness where illusion gives way to truth.

Self discovery is the futility of trying to assemble a puzzle by shaking the box. With every violent event two pieces are joined together and two others torn apart. It is only by looking inside, giving each piece attention and learning it's true nature, that the mystery of the puzzle is discovered. Unfortunately, as the last piece falls into place our puzzle has ended. We never get to witness the full measure of our efforts.

We will never know who we are as well as who we were.

a reply to: Vroomfondel

I love your writing style, and very much enjoyed the thought behind them.

The Self is the last frontier, fascinating stuff indeed!

Thank you for sharing!!!