“19^th January, exactly one month since Fred’s death,” Mary thought to herself

Looking down at the sweat soaked sheets that she had tightly scrunched in her hands, she could feel the anger building inside her with every passing minute. This was not how she pictured this day.

Despite his drinking, Fred was a good husband and had been a great father. Today, he would have been by her side, supporting and encouraging, which is more than she could say for the rest of her family.

The pain she was feeling now, with its constant coming and going, mirrored the relationship that they had endured.  Holding onto the pain seemed the only way to hold onto the past. Without it, Mary knew that she would be overcome with fear, realising she was all alone.

Without thinking, she had again given herself a moment to contemplate putting her children in the orphanage, just until she could get back on her feet. Her body shook as she pushed the thought out of her mind.

“How can I even think that?” she wondered.

Again, she felt the blood rushing from her hands as they tightened on the sheets. Struggling to breathe, she took an almighty gulp, as she gritted her teeth, and focused on the pain in her lower back. Crunching forward, she let out an almighty scream,

“You son of a bitch. Arr!’” 

“That’s it, push Mary, push… hear it comes, it’s a boy!”

Reflective Statement

This event was a turning point in the story of our Brady family in Western Australia. Mary and her children were born here. Frederick Brady was not, and with his death died the connection and information to our past. DNA in the last six months has solved this mystery, so it’s fitting that this is titled “A New Day Dawns”, as the day lasted one hundred and thirty years.

I found thinking of this as “a moment in time” very rewarding, giving a new perspective on the pressure that Mary must have been under. Within six months of this birth she had given up the children to the orphanage.

Darryl Brady
Student ID: 425182
University of Tasmania
HAA104 Writing the Family Saga
Week Five E-tivitie
A New Day Dawns
Length 250 words.
Reflective Statement 50-100 words.

Feedback

Wow, Darryl, what a breathtaking piece of writing. Had a great hook, juxtaposed birth and death, incredible pace throughout.
Well down – you absolutely smashed this.
C. Cavaney

Wow, thanks C., Glad it got the reaction I was after. I do wonder how close to the truth this would be. No history of the type of person Mary was, has survived. I’m sure it was hard on her.
Regards
Darryl Brady

So powerful! I love the ‘son of a bitch’ curse. Birth really does involve a lot of cursing. What a dreadful predicament she was in and you have captured it so well in a few words. I really wonder how people coped in those days with tragedy seeming like an almost daily occurrence. Sorry, no suggestions for change!
S. Moore

Yes S., I wonder that also. Most of us today only think we are hurting. No apology necessary, I’m flattered that its good as is.
Regards
Darryl Brady