The Soul Thief

My Dad has end-stage dementia. The man I knew has gone and he kind of slipped away without any of us having the chance to grieve or say goodbye. It’s a cruel disease in so many ways. This year we had to make the difficult decision to place him in a care home.

My category for the NYC 2023 100 Word Competition was Romance involving ‘walking on a red carpet’ and had to include the word ‘faith’.

As my Dad was on my mind so much at the time, I decide to write a piece about dementia, based on my parents 65 year marriage.

For the first time in a while, despite getting positive feedback from the judges, it didn’t progress me to the next round thus ending my journey prematurely in this competition.

The Soul Thief

Seventy years have passed since we walked the red carpet together.

Sparkling smiles.

Laughing eyes.

Aglow with love and faith in our future.

Where have you gone my love?

You are here but you are not present.

An empty shell.

Slack mouth that cannot speak my name.

Vacant eyes that do not know me.

Cold, grey skin.

I see you but can’t find you.

You slipped away when I wasn’t looking.

Taken by the soul thief.

One piece at a time.

Day by day.

Secreted away.

Where are you now?

You left me.

But we never got to say goodbye.