"The Space Between" by David Inserra
– doors will open, and I will be set free
Mother and son looking for answers and hope from inside Ward 6.
David Inserra lives on Hilton Head Island in South Carolina. He enjoys his time with his wife, Ellen, and their dog, Mindy. He is a member of the Island Writers Network and works as the Congregational Administrator at the local Unitarian Church. Having recently completed his first novel, a speculative thriller titled “In Your Own Backyard,” David is now editing the manuscript and working toward publication. David is also a musician who has written and recorded over 400 songs, most being about his wife. Visit davidinserra.weebly.com.
Author’s Talk
David Inserra
I have a plastic bin in my office, jam packed with notebooks and papers, each filled with stories I have written. In there, you can find what is my true first novel; four three-section notebooks containing a complete handwritten epic of action and romance that spans time and space. There are also stacks of short stories and essays. Some with faded ink, yellowed, and wrinkled paper. The bin is filled with years of ideas, dreams, and adventures. The genre doesn’t matter. If it catches my interest, I’ll try.
I have also written and recorded hundreds of songs. Most of the songs from the past thirteen years are about my wife but there is one spoken word piece about my mother. “Ward Six (The Space Between)” tells what happened when Mom began to experience paranoia and hallucinations. When my writer’s group, the Island Writers' Network, mentioned a writing opportunity for this latest PSPP anthology, I thought the experiences expressed in this song would make a perfect story for the theme.
Twists and Turns describes my mom’s life. She was loved by many. And full of love for her two sons. In her late thirties, Mom was widowed. Shortly thereafter, she was diagnosed with brittle diabetes. Her life became ruled by uncontrollable blood sugars and diabetic comas. Without warning her sugars could skyrocket. Speech would become incoherent, and she would lose the ability to move. Other times, in the middle of a conversation her sugars could crash. She would close her eyes. Just stop.
When a coma hit, her brain became dehydrated. She ended up in a hospital and there she would get an IV drip to rehydrate the brain. Each time Mom survived she came back a little less vibrant. A little slower.
After her time spent in Ward Six, Mom continued to have hospital visits, comas, and other medical issues. At the end, the hallucinations returned, and she fell deeper into that mysterious hole. Her final days were spent in a nursing home where she peacefully passed away six years ago. — David Inserra
