Cancer
 

It was a hideous thing- darker than the black of night. It was at once all encompassing and everywhere yet altogether elusive. It had many long and repulsive tenticles- each one promising death at the slightest touch. Man and all his technology were impotent against its advances. One part may be destroyed, yet it always returned, unexpected, vengeful.

We lived in constant fear- our weapons poised, yet we knew someday, sometime, it would return to destroy our lives, our very souls- ravenously devouring every inch of our resolve. We could only watch as it consumed everything we held dear and precious.

The abomination has as its ally death- and death was behind its every advance- yet the thing itself had no mortality. At times appearing defeated, vanquished, yet it lived on- insidiously reaching its dark tentacles to strike again and again- replacing the slightest optimism with sharp piercing misery.

The mere mention of its name struck horror in the strongest warriors- and once touched, the tears and prayers of a hundred men could not change ones destiny. Our most wondrous fighters could only prolong the inevitable horror of their own destruction.

The thing chose its victims carefully- never the evil or the strong, but always the good, the innocent- the jewels of our society. It would surface from the dark unknown depths to quickly grab the young child, the gentle man, the innocent mother- and envelop them in its hideous grasp. We could only stand and watch the soul wrenching carnage- helpless... feeling the grasp of our loved one slowly loosening...

I have no illusions of being a writer. This was just something I needed to get out of my head.

Thanks for "listening"

An excellent, excellent description!
I have walked down that path with a loved one and never, in a million years would I have been able to give it wings as you just did.
Thank you

Just last wednesday, my friend buried his mother, another victim.

My own roll call:

-Judy
-Pat
-Dorothy
-Ike
-Steve

and now

-Jean soon to be joined by Pete.


I hate cancer with a passion.

Thank you for your comments. It is difficult to express the horror to those fortunate enough not to have to walk down this path

As someone who has heard the word cancer in a doctors office, I know that description well. But as bad as that word is, there is also no greater relief than hearing the words negitive and noncancerous when the test results come back.