Story #1 Sketch
A woman, middle aged, sat on the cold floor. She was struggling to remain alert while her every breath she took came back shorter than the last.
She could barely comprehend her surroundings, though nothing more than the typical commercial bathroom with cliché tile, a sink, and a toilet. The latter would of course be an obvious choice to sit, however she sat on the floor with sweat quickly and heavily making its way through her very carefully planned business suit. She used every ounce of her strength to open the door and finally admit that she needed help. She then laid down, with her last conscious sight being loved ones poorly silhouetted by a dim ceiling light.
Two and a half years later, a young girl lies in tears on her fiancé’s lap. Three days of increasing pain has left her nearly immobilized in the middle of the night. Her pain is coming from her head, but it is not your normal pain. It does not come from the neck where a nerve may be pinched. Nor is it from the brain, where recent back to school stress could build up a migraine. The pain comes from her ear, and feels as if something is ripping her eardrum from the inner ear itself. She doesn’t know it yet, but that’s exactly what happened.
These two women have no relation. They were born in different areas of the country, over a quarter of a century apart. They have no inkling the other person exists, nor are their illnesses similar in any way, shape or form. However, their pain comes from the same source. Not the brain, or the heart, or the central nervous system, but genetics; evolution to be exact. Humanity is an evolved species. Science has proven that women reach maturity sooner than men. However, it is also becoming known that women are tougher than men. And while this may seem cause for celebration, it is actually to their detriment.
I’m not sure what’s going on here, Riley, and I’m wondering where it goes. Do the two women meet to discuss their experience? Or did the first woman die? I’m not quite sure what to make of the drama. Are these real people you’re going to come back to?