Read a raving review of a new play. Intrigued I bought a ticket.
The lights go down. The susurration of the audience fades to silence. Next, I wonder if somehow I walked through a looking-glass. On stage, personified by the actors, my whole life enfolds. Every hurt, betrayal, trauma, pain, sorrow.
Stunned, tears streaming. In the dark, I hear how people react.
Sharp intakes of breath. “That’s horrible!”
Tears of empathy. “Could anyone survive that? Without loosing their minds?”
Standing ovation lasts an eternity, then people file out.
I’m frozen. Realization dawning.
My story have to be shared with others!
© RedCat
I’ve had this piece, or some form of it in my head for a couple of weeks. It’s inspired by some blogs I read, who sometimes feels like they are about me and should be written by me.
Showing that all parts of one’s story is shared by another, somewhere, sometime…
Posted to Friday Fictioneers where we write 100 words stories (beginning-middle-end) inspired by the photo prompt. Click on the frog to read more stories.
The world according to RedCat 
A great idea, I could see this starting a longer biography story about someone’s life, telling it as it plays out in front of them with actors. Good one.
Oh, I didn’t think that far. Now you got my mind racing. Thank you! 📝
When one’s life is rendered as fiction is it more or less real, I wonder. I liked that you used sussuration. That’s a good word.
Maybe both? I adore susurration, and use it as often as possible. 😄
Sharing one’s story is what writing is all about to me. The characters and the way the information is presented is always reconfiguring, but the person you are tells your story no matter the plot.
I like that comment! It’s true, and it’s the complement to the idea that every story is ultimately understood by the reader; the text can only take you so far.
:)
:-)
Well said. For years I couldn’t write certain aspects of me, which overall lead to me being blocked.
You poured your heart into this story. Well done.
Thank you! 🌹
WOW, such a surreal experience.
When you are emotionally involved in the play – yes it becomes you. Great piece of writing.
Thank you!
There truly isn’t much new in the human experience, is there? What’s surprising is that it all seems to be unique as it happens to us!
I do that a lot in my own writing. I have a theory that there’s more fact than fiction in most fiction. I often hope when people read my stories that they accept it as fiction. The truth bubbles up to right beneath the surface.
Nice usage of the Roberta Flack line for your title. I almost went with Donny Hathaway for mine, “I’ve acted out my life on stages,” but I shortened it to “Stages.”
Ah yes! This ‘becomes you..’ a review of the soul…
I can see how these kind of stories are coming… and some tragic examples are soo tragically similar so I can also understand how many would see themselves for real in a play.