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Designer: manikka
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Written by Laura Miller, Benalla Victoria.
Laura Miller is 19 years old. She lives in Albury with two friends and works part time as a Sales Assistant. She is currently studying Professional Writing and Editing and has been writing as a pastime for a few years. It is Laura’s goal to work in the writing industry and eventually write a novel. She entered the ABC Short Story Project to challenge herself and her skills as a writer.


Memories Lost

Her mind is filled with nothing but the sweetness of the sunshine she can feel on the back of her neck and the words of songs past sung. Facing away from the window she sits in the soft faded chair that has supported her aging body for a time longer than she wishes to recall.

The voices of others filter through the walls around her and mingle with the songs that gently caress her tired mind, but she does not force herself to make sense of the sounds she hears, because to her they are not important. She has spent her life listening to the words of others simply because they were speaking, but now she does not worry with such nonsense. Besides, the sweet melodies that play through her mind have a much nicer taste to her than the bitterness that so often spills from other people's mouths.

But it is not always easy to ignore those around her and sometimes she must stop the music that lives within her and focus her attention on the words of others, as she realises, but does not fully understand, their distress when she chooses not to listen to the things they say.

The woman sitting opposite her has a certain gentleness about her that she recognises in herself and she wonders who she is. There is something about the way the woman sits forward slightly in her chair and looks into her eyes as if searching for something, that makes her want to listen to what she is saying.

"How have you been?" This asked tentatively as if she is not sure it is the right thing to say.

Forcing her mind to process the question and formulate an appropriate response is not easy as all of a sudden she has a thousand questions of her own she needs answered, although to many of them she is sure she already knows the answer.

"Fine." Her voice sounds strange her and is weak through lack of use. She tries again. "I have been fine, quite well actually. And what about yourself Janie?" Even as she feels the name swelling into her mind and flowing out of her lips, she wonders how she knows the woman's name. Surely they have only just met, as she could never forget such beautiful eyes that this woman possesses.

The woman does not seem perplexed by her knowledge of her name and in fact seems relieved, a small smile spreads across her lips.

"I am fine. Tired after a long days travel, but happy to be able to visit you again."

She wonders what she is talking about and why she has travelled so far seemingly just to visit her, but she thinks it would be rude to ask such a question, so instead she remains silent, trying to make sense of the questions that fill her mind. But she would much prefer to hear beautiful music than the confusing questions, and so she slowly urges herself to rid her mind of the chaos of words and replace them with the softness of music.

The woman continues to talk to her for another five or so minutes, but when it is clear that she is not going to get any more words out of her she stands and after placing her hand briefly on her fragile shoulder, leaves.

Just before she returns to her world of music completely she hears one of the nurses ask the woman how her mother is today and she wonders briefly how the nurse knows the woman's mother.

~5:17 pm