Deprivation

Weekly Challenges

Deprivation

Deadline

Write about a character who feels they are cut off from something. How does this deprivation affect the way they go about their life? [Photo by Marcos Paulo Prado on Unsplash]

Submissions

  • small slit window

    I wake up and stare at the bland ceiling, not moving for a while. I don't know how long I was sitting there, there are no clocks in here. No clocks, no posters, no windows, save for the small, barred slit in the top of the wall.

  • The Desert

    It had been more than two days since a drop of water had touched his lips. He was beginning to think that he was forgetting what water tasted like, if it tasted of anything.

  • this is not about water

    it was like a sink that was overflowing, built up and up and up.

    then it was drained; the pipes rusted over; the slight drip and drip and drip.

    tantalizing.

    then the water rushed like geysers do, hot and momentarily solid.

  • When You Are No Longer Young

    I hold my prefrontal cortex with the shame of

    sinking, water lilies seeping from my lips into the grey-green

    marsh I call (uselessly) 

    home.

    My mind hisses with the strain of too many canned-up voices

    saying

  • Barred

    Give me something to wish for

    Hhhf—

    Something to wish for.

     

    I go about every day of my life

    Like there's nothing to look forward to

    Because there's no end

    To my misery