#life After Prompt: Write a story about losing someone and repairing yourself after that loss. "We did all we could" said the middle-aged doctor as he wiped imaginary sweat from his brow. He was clearly exhausted and affected by the loss of his patient, my brother Simon. Earlier that day, there had been an explosion in the flats where we all had lived for over two decades. Mum had wanted us to move out to the countryside, but us kids had refused. Simon had even done a "sit-in." Such good times. Now he is gone from this world. Mum hasn't stopped crying since. We are all still in shock. We had to call the doctor out for mum. She won't come out of Simon's room. She sits holding onto his jumper, sobbing for hours. I miss my brother so much. I feel lost and I am trying so hard to look after everyone. I made sausage and mash for my little brother and sister. I plated mum's dinner up, but it was still untouched 2 days later. The funeral gave us all a chance to say goodbye to Simon. It was a lovely service and so many of Simon's friends came. Mum was in a right state as the coffin was lowered into the ground. We all said our goodbyes. My brothers and I have all become a lot closer since Simon died. I think we've all realised that you only get one #life and it's too short. As the days, weeks, and eventually months passed by, I felt incredibly guilty. Somedays I only thought or remembered Simon twice or three times per day. This made mum very angry. She was sitting in Simon's room for hours at a time. The pain I felt in my heart when Simon died is still there, but it's not as painful. My brothers and I talk daily. We try to get together at least once a week. We all sit and reminisce about growing up and our dearly departed brother, Simon. It's evidently clear that we all miss him. His death has brought my siblings and I closer together. I recently discovered some paperwork that gave details of the recipients who gained Simon's organs he donated. To begin with, I was horrified that someone is walking about, living their lives, with parts of my brother inside of them. It took a while to get my head around it, but now I'm pleased that something good has come out of my brother's death. I'm in the process of replying to the letters that the donor organisation sent. Hopefully soon I'll get to meet the recipients of the organs Simon donated. Such an unselfish act. But that's how Simon was in #life, and now after his death. Even my mum has shown that by Simon donating organs, he lives on. ##poetsin #prose #death #organdonating #healing