Daddy, Are You In The Ground Or In The Sky?
Original Illustration by Yevgenia Nayberg
Competition: The 500-word Fiction Challenge 2023, Final Round (1st Place Overall)
Genre: Open
Action: Warning
Object: A sealed envelope
497 words
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This story explores parental death and war.
There are three Sad-Stones in our yard.
WORM (Both Halves)
Died in the name of science
BEE
Couldn’t control his temper
FLUFFY
Crossed the road without looking
There should be four.
DADDY
Didn’t say goodbye
But Mummy used her Serious-Quiet-Voice.
Don’t be silly, Marnie. Of course Daddy won’t be buried here.
So now you’re far away in the churchyard which makes no sense.
Men-With-Shovels dug you a ginormous hole, way bigger than our one at the beach when you buried me. The sand was so heavy I couldn’t breathe. But I touched the dirt they put on top of you and it was Powdered-Sugar-Soft, so I think you’ll be okay.
If you’re really down there.
I’ve been writing you letters and leaving them on your Dirt-Mound, but a girl at school (the one who told me to cut Worm in half) said that was silly as you live in the clouds now.
Marnie, stop listening to Worm-Girl, Mummy said.
But Mummy won’t say if you’re in The Ground or in The Sky.
You always said goodbye when you left for Long-Work.
Not That Morning.
You took photos in Scary Places with Booms that fell from The Sky.
Photos filled with Important-Sad.
If you’re in The Sky now, I wondered if you could stop Falling Things.
I put a new letter in an envelope and Lick-Sealed it shut. I’m using stamps this time.
Daddy
The Clouds
Possibly Heaven
I gave it to the Postman that Fluffy hated. He did a Sorry-Smile under his Caterpillar-Mustache and promised to deliver it.
But he gave it to Mummy when he thought I’d gone.
Maybe I didn’t have enough stamps.
We went to the Party Shop to get ‘4’ and ‘0’ balloons for Mummy’s Birthday. I wished I was More-Numbers-Old instead of ‘6’ so I could get two balloons.
Shop-Man gave me a Floaty Balloon in Milkshake-Pink when I said it was my favorite color.
In my bedroom, I tied the envelope to the balloon string. I let it go out the window and watched it fly into the Paint-Splotchy sky.
Mummy warned you.
One day, you’ll leave and never come back.
I imagine your camera smashing into a gazillion pieces.
You wanted the world to know about Bad Things. I want to know why you didn’t say goodbye.
That’s what I asked in my letter.
Sometimes, my head hurts when it’s full of Blue. It made my door go Slam which made my mirror go Smash.
Glass flew everywhere. Like a Boom, I guess.
I waited for Mummy to get Red-Stormy but she hugged me so tight I nearly squished through her arm gaps.
She cleared up all the Sharps and found your letter behind my desk.
It must have fallen, she said.
Dear Marnie,
I’m so sorry I left without saying goodbye. You looked too peaceful and perfect to wake up. Look after Mummy for me.
I love you, forever, always.
Daddy
Worm-Girl was right.
Daddy lives in The Sky.
About the Author
Leila is a writer/director who is currently studying for an MA in Directing Fiction at the National Film and Television School in the UK. She recently completed a round-the-world trip without flying, during which she developed an addiction to writing competitions. She has since won four NYC Midnight competitions which has become her entire personality. Find out more at leilamurtonpoole.com.