'Beginnings and Endings' by Lynda McMahon

Air

Without the first breath of air there is no life and after the last breath there is only death. The covers move with each breath as her life continues. The mask has slipped and she is agitated; she fights for air; she fights to live. Her fear is so strong it sucks the air out of the room. I am suffocating!

I cannot save her however much I will air into her lungs. They are taking away the mask! No! Without air she will die! No!

Water

So many tears. It is as if my body wishes to lose all it’s water; to become dehydrated and disperse weightless upon the air. I watch her soul rise with the incense. Holy smoke from holy fire. I suffocate in the intensely perfumed air as I watch her soul rise on clouds of greasy vapour. My flowing water threatens to extinguish the eternal flame. I drown in grief.

Fire

Flames to consume the flesh. The puny heat of the incense is supplanted by the furnace that roars its dragon breath beyond the curtain. If I cry a flood can I stop its ravenous maw? Fire and water cannot co-exist yet, in this strange place, fire defeats water. Fire consumes what was and is no more. All that remains is ash and torment.

Earth

‘Earth to earth; ashes to ashes; dust to dust…’ The familiar words echo, re-echo, sing their own song until I am the words and the words are me. The last air she would use fuels the flames and she is sent back into the earth. Sent back to add her elements to the never-ending cycle.

The living must continue to breathe air. We have no choice.