Bookcraft: Words Worth Writing

Ephemeral

Ephemeral: 1. lasting a very short time; short-lived; transitory 2. biology Existing for only one day, as with some flowers, insects, and diseases.

"Okay class," the teacher asks the class. "What do you call a short-lived disease?"

Silence. Students look down at their papers or up at the chalkboard. Lucy stares blankly at her notebook. She hasn't written a single note this entire term.

"Come on. What type of disease is like the Three Day Sickness? It is also known as BEF or Bovine- Yes, Ben?"

"One for cows?"

Some of the students laugh. Lucy isn't one of them. She stares at her notebook. The teacher sighs.

"No. Well, yes, but the answer I was looking for was Ephemeral. Has anyone heard of that word before?"

There's a pause. Students avert their eyes. Lucy stares at her notebook. A girl that sits a few seats across from Lucy takes pity on the teacher.

"Doesn't it mean short-lived or somethin'"

"Yes, that's correct. An Ephemeral disease like BEF or Bovine Ephemeral Fever only lasts for a few days, some diseases only last as long as one day. There are also Ephemeral insects and planets which also only last for a short amount of time..."

Lucy stares at her notebook.

She wonders what it would be like to an Ephemeral disease instead of this one.

The bell rings. Lucy puts away her notebook and leaves.

Lucy stares at her laptop.

Write 200 words about a defining moment in your life. We will be discussing Memoirs in class tomorrow, the screen says. The cursor blinks up at her.

She writes:

It was just a checkup at the doctor's.
The nurse barely remember to even give me the papers, and when she remembered she acted so nonchalant.
Like it was nothing.
Just some forms that have to be filled out.
Surely not anything​ that should freak me out.
And maybe it shouldn't've. A simple survey of nine simple question.
It probably says something about my mental health that I recognised it as a depression screening in three seconds.
It probably says something about my mental health that I purposely answered them "right" so know one would know I was depressed.
It probably says something about my mental health that I almost grabbed it back and answered it honestly.
It probably says something about my mental health that I didn't.
That I
couldn't.

Lucy stares at her laptop. She holds down the backspace button.

Write 200 words about a defining moment in your life. We will be discussing Memoirs in class tomorrow, the screen says.

That's all it says. 

The cursor blinks up at her.