Survivors Will Be Prosecuted

A son wants to undertake a solitary, solemn wake at his dying mother’s bedside, her lying here unconscious on life-support in a bedroom. He wonders how to wile his time. An exotic fly comes to take up all his attention. He tries to swat it with a newspaper - to no avail. He stands on a chair, to reach the winged insect. He topples, bangs his head, nearly fatally. He tries to trap it under a tumbler. The glass smashes, cutting his wrist – causing him to bleed profusely. He ties a tourniquet. When the mother’s monitor indicates flatlining and termination of her life, he sees the fly crawling on back of her hand. He makes to swat it this time for sure. But then he stops, reflects, relents; opens the window, ushers the fly out.