The Quiet Fold

95 words · under a minute

The lamp on the

nightstand buzzed a low,

tired hum. She folded

his shirt, pressing the

crease with her thumb.

It still smelled like him

— soap and rain. She

pressed it to her face

and breathed in until her

chest ached.

The clock on the wall

ticked past midnight. The

shirt went into the

drawer, but her hand

stayed there, fingers

curled around the fabric.

I should have said it back.

The drawer clicked shut.

She turned off the lamp,

and the dark settled over

her like a blanket too

heavy to lift.

cry · miss · quiet · bedroom · late_night · memory · departure · silence

Resonates with 142