Amor Fati: Episode 5 - The Photograph
‘Okay,’ Clara sighed, letting a breath escape from her chest. ‘No use in re-living the past,’ she whispered to herself.
Feeling the need to distract herself, she wandered aimlessly around the house.
Finally, she mustered the courage to enter her mother’s bedroom. A large, wooden chest sat ominously in the centre of the floor. That chest had been in the family for as long as Clara could remember, but it appeared centuries older than that. The wood was scuffed and had chips and scratches along its surface. The leather that covered the corners was faded and peeling in some places. Clara didn’t like the look of it and was hesitant in opening it. Although, it wasn’t the state of the chest that concerned her, but rather what it contained. It housed her mother’s most prized possessions; family heirlooms, she supposed. She’d never actually seen its contents and had been meaning to go through it the day after her mother's funeral.
Clara walked tentatively towards the chest and knelt down in front of it. Propping herself up on her knees, she unclasped the two bronze latches and opened the lid. The rusted hinges groaned heavily with the effort and a light mist of dust rose from within the box.
Inside was an assortment of keepsakes, collectables and tokens of her mother’s life. There were intricately detailed crystal perfume bottles, worn sepia photographs of unknown family members and wads of hand written letters, among numerous other items.
As Clara shuffled through the contents, she came across an antique hourglass. It was an immaculate piece, consisting of two adjoining glass bulbs supported by a solid wooden frame. The frame was mahogany in colour and was decorated with fine gold detailing. However, what most stood out to Clara was the handwritten note fastened to its base by a thin strand of string. The handwriting, Clara discerned, was that of her mother’s. The note read:
‘To turn around fate’
She wondered briefly as to what the message could mean and then placed the hourglass to one side on the floor. She continued to shuffle through the chest until she came to a thin parcel, wrapped in brown paper fastened by string. A small envelope was attached to the packaging. A name was scrawled on it, again in Clara’s mother’s handwriting.
It said Clara.
Clara’s heart rate quickened a little as she removed the envelope from the package and peeled open the sealed flap. Inside was a card adorned with the words, Amor Fati. Clara recognised the language from her university history class. The words were definitely Latin, however, what they said she had no idea. The unfamiliar phrase increased her reluctance to unwrap the accompanying parcel. She began to slowly open the package, removing one strip of tape at a time. However, the eagerness to discover what the enclosed item was soon took over and she tore apart the paper.
Clara gasped.
‘But that’s impossible….’
Inside was a wedding portrait of her and James.
It was dated one year from today.
About the Author: Elyse Harrison
Elyse Harrison is an environmental professional and writer based in Geelong. Her writing explores the connections between people, animals, history and the natural world, often weaving together themes of hope, grief, belonging, love, and environmental stewardship. Drawing inspiration from nature, philosophy, and the enduring relationships between humans and animals, she writes poetry and fiction that seeks to find meaning in the fleeting moments that shape our lives.
https://www.facebook.com/ElyseHarrisonWriter/
