Ficlet: Only Words

[bibliodragon]

For ar_drabbles Gratitude challenge.

Title: Only Words
Author: bibliodragon
Rating: Gen
Spoilers: None
Word Count: 200


Under electric lights day turned to night unannounced, with hours and minutes marked by each piece of paperwork practically indistinguishable from the last. Medicine lists (too low). Food amounts (too low). And always too many numbers to be subtracted from the whiteboard.

Laura Roslin no longer needed to watch as Billy rewrote the number, each figure drawn out in case another piece of paper brought another total while he was there. Removing her glasses she rubbed at her eyes. Back on and the pile was still there. Along with the pressure behind her eyes. She reached for another file.

The flash of red was bright against the dull grey folder underneath, even though closer inspection revealed the leather was old and faded. Indentations of letters with the occasional fleck of gold were all that remained of the title and author, still readable but only just.

She looked down at the folder still in her hand. More evidence that the end of the worlds had done nothing to halt military bureaucracy. Each word another throb of a headache. On the inside cover of the book she found the same handwriting.

The next paper she managed to meet with a soft smile.

Comments

[sln1.livejournal.com]

You have captured a keen sense of the constant grind of work and loss, grim and grey and oppressive day after day, very effectively here and it makes that moment when Laura sees the book all the more startling and satisfying. There is a real sense of the relief it provides, a reminder of better times, better things, of what in all this toil and hardship they are seeking to preserve. A reminder that she isn't in this alone.

Beautifully done. Great work. Thank you.

[bibliodragon.livejournal.com]

Thank you for such kind words.