Death and the Deeds ✔

EVERYTHING UNEXPECTED

"Oh my God! Is....Is that me? No. I....I..." I was breathing heavily, "Unbelievable."
These are the only words I could blurt out as I saw my own body on a hospital bed. All swollen and surrounded by machines that I could barely recognize myself. I tried to blink back my tears but once the first tear broke free, the rest followed in an unbroken stream.

What are you supposed to do when you see your own lifeless body?

My father was asleep on a sofa near my bed. His dark circles too dark and deep now. My mom sat beside him, reciting something. But no spell or magic could save me now. I looked at Laura. She gave me a sympathizing look. An angel too can do nothing to help me now. Funny how we never imagine dying when we all are nothing but mortal human beings.

"Mom, Dad. I'm here now." I said as I stood right in front of them.

"Hazel honey, they can't hear you." Laura whispered.

I swallowed the lump in my throat. This was all too much for me. I wanted to rip apart anything and everything I could lay my hands on. I did not attempt to calm the silent war in my mind.

The door opened with a creek.

"Mr and Mrs. Steward?" A moment of awkward silence. "I mean Mr. Steward and Miss Jessica." I jumped when I recognized Linda's voice.

"Linda." I said, waving my hands before her, but to my surprise, she just walked right through me. I felt as if someone had ripped my heart out and had jumped on it. Several times.

"I'm so sorry", she said while she placed the roses she brought on a table near the only window. She knows I loved roses. But she never gave me one when I was...well.....alive.

What good are the efforts if they are made too late?

I could tell her mood by the tone of her voice. Even though she tried to fake a smile, but her mourning eyes revealed it all. She was dying on the inside. I smiled a little. My mom hugged her and they both broke down in tears waking my dad up. He got up to console them but just then doctors came in. They also walked right through me. I took a few steps towards left so I could stand in the corner.

"Mr. and Mrs. Steward? Hi! I'm doctor Kevin."

My parents smiled at him and his crew he did not introduce.

"Well, your daughter is not in a very good condition." He said. My mom held on to Linda.

"She is very critical", he continued, " I'm afraid she might....not.....be.." He said slowly and paused when my mom and Linda began crying.

"Able...to..." Doctor Kevin was constantly shifting his gaze from my mother to my father to my body.

"Make it." He finally finished.

My dad sat on the sofa with his head cupped in his hands while Linda and mom cried. As for me, I became numb. My palms were firmly pressed against the wall. I felt like my brain had stopped functioning and needed to be rebooted again.

If this was not hell, then what even was hell?

"Hazel." said Laura. I did not reply. Instead I just shook my head. "Its okay. You can cry", she said as she patted my back.

"No. No. No..." was all I could say and with each No my head moved towards her shoulder until it finally reached it. And then I cried. And cried. And cried. After what seemed like fifteen minutes, I raised my head and wiped my face.

"Are you ready?" She asked. I nodded.

"Then lets go." She grabbed my hand and we made for the door.

"Bye mom dad. Bye Linda. Bye Hazel." I said and then we walked through the closed door.

I saw Mark, Jennie, Lisa, Gary and almost everyone with whom I worked with.

"Farewell." I said and waved. Not that they could hear me. Or see me.

Goodbyes are always so hard. You never know when the next hello would be.