When It's Time to Move On

The Station - Chapter 2 - Who are you?

The pain was relentless, unyielding in its grip on Harris. Night after night, he suffered, unable to find even a moment's respite, and this was another one he had to endure. He had hoped to die with dignity, but the agony had robbed him of that small comfort. It was a constant presence, tormenting him whether he was awake or asleep, refusing to let him accept it.

What was the point of continuing like this? If all it brought was more suffering, then why bother? Harris felt as though he was paying penance for a life not lived as it should have been. Was fate punishing him for his mistakes?

His friends gave their condolences, and he realized that he had no right to hold them in contempt. It was his fault that he had pushed them away, that he had never given them a reason to care. When he was gone, the world would continue as before, the sun would rise and set, and not a single life would change.

The pain was constant, unrelenting. Every fragment of his being was wracked with agony, and there was no decency in it. Even the simplest act of swallowing was a battle.

As night fell, the nurses finished their duties and left. Harris had always hated crying, but now a single tear trickled down his cheek, and he couldn't wipe it away. He wished for even a glimmer of light in the ward, but, but had no choice but to lie in bed and stare up into the darkness.

Minutes ticked by, and sleep eluded him yet again. He had overheard the nurses saying that it wouldn't be much longer, and he could feel it too. This was no ordinary night; this was the night.

Suddenly, the pain lifted, as if trying to leave his body. The drowsiness faded away, and for the first time in weeks, he felt something he had been longing for: Relief. It was worth it, even if it meant that he was dying. This couldn't be a prelude to punishment; he felt blessed.

In an instant, he could move again, light as a feather. He was on his feet, walking around the ward like a child left alone. But as he looked around, he realized that something was different. The other patients were still lying in their beds, unresponsive.

Harris waved a hand over one of their faces, but there was no response. It was clear that none of them were blessed as he was right now. But how? He had been seconds away from death, and yet he was walking around, clueless.

As he pondered this mystery, a glimmer caught his eye, a ray of light shining from outside. Its glow grew brighter and brighter until it was focused solely on Harris. He felt the warmth of the light surround him, and he knew that he was not alone.

The light hovered at the entrance of the ward, its intense glow illuminating the darkened hospital hallway. It appeared to be a floating orb, but Harris knew that there was something more to it than met the eye. He couldn't take his eyes off of it, even as fear began to creep into his thoughts. Was this the light that the deceased saw as they passed from this world into the next?

"You are not dead," a voice called out from the orb, interrupting his thoughts. "Do not fear."

Harris didn't know what to make of it. He was still alive, but where was he being taken? The voice directed him to follow the light, and as it floated away, illuminating doors on either side of the hallway, Harris couldn't help but feel a sense of awe and wonder.

He hadn't been outside of his hospital room since the cancer had reached its final stages, and he had expected to see nurses and doctors as he was being led away. But there was no one in sight, only the light leading him forward.

As they continued down the hallway, the light began to rise higher and higher, until they were no longer in the hospital at all. The air grew silent, and Harris could feel a sense of anticipation building inside him.

"Where am I?" he asked.

"Someplace safe," the voice replied. It was ambiguous, but at least it was something.

Harris couldn't help but feel frustrated with the vagueness of it all. "Who are you?" he demanded.

"You shall know," the voice replied cryptically.

Harris tried to press for more information, but the voice remained silent. He was about to give up when the voice spoke again.

"There is much for you to see," it said. As if understanding Harris' dilemma, it clarified. "I can show you."

Harris nodded in acceptance. As the orb approached him, Harris couldn't help but feel a sense of trepidation. But as it drew closer, he saw that it had split into a smaller, nomadic glow that went ahead of him, revealing a corridor that had been previously hidden in darkness.

The end of the corridor was blocked by a gaping darkness, and Harris couldn't see what lay beyond it. But as the light split into four separate orbs, two going to the right and two to the left, he realized that they were settled upon four doorways, each with a circular knob in gold.

Harris walked back to the hall. The original light still remained, hovering in the distance.

"What do I do about these doors?" he asked, seeking clarification.

"You are to enter them," the light replied cryptically.

Harris knew that already, but what he truly wanted was an explanation. "Why? What's behind them?" he pressed.

"You shall see for yourself," the light replied, leaving Harris with even more questions.

"Will you come with me?" Harris asked, but the light remained silent, almost as if it was rejecting his request.

With no other options, Harris walked back to the doors and studied them carefully. They were all identical, and he had no idea which one to choose.

"Which one do I enter?" he asked.

"That is up to you," the light replied.

Harris took a deep breath and settled on the first door on the right. He placed his hand on the doorknob, his heart racing with anticipation. What lay behind this door? There was only one way to find out.

Harris took a deep breath, turned the knob, and entered the door.