Empty Burdens

By Elizabeth Ashley

Empty Burdens is a surreal and poetic journey through the five stages of grief, told through the eyes of a soul searching for peace in a world built from sorrow. Desperate to reach the House of Coping and drink from the elusive Elixir of Closure, the narrator is instead swept into a theatrical maze of emotional detours-a performance staged by the Empty Burdens themselves. From the Empty Burdens Plaza, "Happily Never After" Bar to the shadowy corners of the Bargaining Basement, and "Bye Bye Butterfly" Fountain. Each chapter reveals a new facet of grief-both haunting and strangely beautiful. The story blurs the lines between reality and metaphor, offering readers a mirror to their own losses and the quiet strength it takes to carry them. By the end, the narrator comes to understand that grief doesn't vanish-it becomes part of the landscape of memory. Letting go isn't about forgetting; it's about accepting the echo and choosing to move forward anyway.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1665786558
• ISBN13: 9781665786553
• Release Date: November 2025
• Publisher: Archway Publishing
• Length: 312 Pages
• Weight: 0.92 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 6.0" x 9.0"