Obit
30 Jun 2019Today’s prompt: “Write a short obituary of a stranger you’ve recently encountered. Then rewrite it from the point of view of the person’s estranged child.” [I’m going to be giving you a mostly fictional biography just because the insert-your-info-here stuff gets old fast.]
[Insert-your-full-name-here], [insert-your-current-age-here], of [insert-your-hometown-here], died on June 30, 2019, in a car accident.
[Insert-your-name-here] was born in Peoria, Illinois, to Marvin and Glynnis [insert-your-last-or-maiden-name-here]. In high school, they participated in 4-H and lettered in track. After high school, they went to college part-time while serving in the Army Reserve as a radio and communications security repair technician. It was in the Reserve that they first met Riley Jacobs, whom they later married on June 9, 2012. After serving three years in the Army Reserve, [insert-your-name-here] returned to school full-time, earning a degree in biology from Michigan Tech. They joined the Forest Service as a wildlife biologist. They loved the great outdoors and enjoyed going camping and hiking with friends.
[Insert-your-name-here] is survived by Riley and by their son, Damien. Services will be held at [here, the remainder of the obituary is lost as it was carelessly torn from the newspaper and is now being held by a boy above a Bic lighter].
Rest in peace, dear [mother/father/parent]. Or try. We both know it would have been more accurate if the obituary said you died of “unnatural causes.” But few people could know about the demonic chorus howling into your ears as you drove into that tree. I’m – hmm. I was about to say I’m sorry you had to die, but I don’t suppose I am, come to think of it. For what it’s worth, you’ve served your purpose, and now that purpose is done. Well, I’d better be off. Places to go, people to see, prophecies to fulfill.