Nicole is facing a spiral in her mental health, but her boyfriend, Joel, is not helping. When he drops her home after a failed attempt to alleviate her suicidal thoughts, she is left alone. She contemplates taking her own life and runs a hot bath to do so, but is interrupted when a fledgling bird flies into a window. She takes the bird inside and places it in a cage. In the process of accommodating the bird she forgets the bath, and ends up flooding the bathroom. Because of these distractions, Nicole falls asleep before she can do anything harmful. When she wakes, the bird has died, and her mother has returned home from night-shift. Nicole must confront the morning, which she hates, but although the blackbird has died in the night, her mother has become aware of her needs, and Nicole may not have to face the darkness alone in the future.
Vote for this Short Story
Voting Status
Countdown to 500
498
votes remaining
- 50 Votes – Qualified for Contest / Manuscript Review
- 200 Votes – Eligibility for a reader newsletter feature
- 500 Votes – Eligibility for a double royalty
*More than 25 votes are not needed, but are encouraged, and will earn you additional benefits
