It is a good day to live – A Study of Points of View

I’m afraid I must be a rather morbid person as for the example in this little study of mine, I have a man who- well, read on and you will hear his tale told not once, not twice, but four times.

Third Person, Subjective, Present tense:

He sits on the bench and crosses his ankles, leaning back he looks upwards at the lime tree’s green leaves. The sky is blue and the sun shines brilliantly. He lets out a peaceful sigh – it is a good day to live.

There is a crack, breath is snatched from his body as it shudders just once. He looks down and sees the red which grows on his white shirt like an ink stain. He frowns. His body slumps.

His eyes close.

Third Person, Omnipresent, Present Tense:

He sits down on the bench. Crosses his ankles. Doesn’t know what is going to happen. He doesn’t see gun raised as he leans back and admires the day. It is a good day to live, he thinks. But then there is a crack and blood stains his shirt and he doesn’t see the irony of his thought as he slumps on the bench.

A dog-walker finds him fifteen minutes later, and screams.

First Person, Present Tense:

I sit down on the bench and cross my ankles, lean back and look upwards at the heavens – the branches of the lime tree sway slightly in the breeze and frame a blue sky, whilst the sun shines brilliantly, highlighting the leaves. Ah – it is a good day to live.

A crack and my body shudders. Winded, breathing is difficult.

I look down and frown. What is this? Red is growing, growing, growin- gro-

Second Person:

You sit down on the bench and cross your ankles. Upwards you look and the beauty of the day causes a small sigh. It is a good day to live, you think. You hear a crack and your body shudders. Breathing is elusive – it’s been knocked out of you. You look down and frown at the red which spoils the whiteness of your shirt.

The red spreads.

Your head lolls now and your body has slumped; you aren’t there to hold it up.

A dog-walker finds your hollow frame fifteen minutes later, and screams.

 Please Note: No dog walkers were traumatized or men were shot in the writing of this post. The sanctity of life is still firmly upheld.