Wendy Nikel’s story Let me sleep when I die marks a welcome return to Futures. Wendy has previously taken us on a visit to The memory ward, where some dark secrets were revealed. Her latest tale offers a similar exploration of the unspoken past. You can keep up to date with Wendy’s work at her website or by following her on Twitter. Here she discusses the inspiration behind her new story — as ever it pays to read the tale first.

Writing Let me sleep when I die

Let me sleep when I die began with a flash contest and a writing prompt (courtesy of Vylar Kaftan) in which we were provided with a list of songs in the public domain. Within that list was a song entitled ‘Down in the Deep, Let Me Sleep When I Die’, with music by H. W. Petrie and words by W. L. Titus. Although this song is about a sailor who wishes to be buried at sea, I took only the second half of the title to come up with my idea.

Medical and technological advancements constantly push humanity towards a higher quality of life and extended lifespans, and most would agree that these are positive goals. But if death weren’t the only option, how many would still choose it for themselves and their loved ones? How would this complicate end-of-life issues?

I also wanted to explore generational differences in looking at this question. Adult children are often put in the position of caring for and making medical decisions for their ageing parents, which can be a difficult task. Those in the older generation have seen and experienced things that their children and grandchildren have not, and — such as the case in this story — it may lead them to perceive things quite differently and may lead them to make a different decision entirely.

Special thanks to those who gave me comments and feedback on my initial draft of this story!