Forever

Hey dad. I never thought there would come a day when I would write this to you. But promise me, that when you're reading this, you won't cry. You'll smile, alright Dad? Smile because I've lived my life and now, I want to make sure that you live yours

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11 hours before

The monitor beeped quietly as the young man lay upon the bed, the pain ricocheting off of every single nerve in his body, like a cannonball set loose inside of his body. The doctors told him that the pain would get worse as the days went on, before it disappeared altogether, along with every other feeling on his limbs. He would barely be able to move in a years time, and right now, they weren't even sure whether he'd even live past the age of 30. And yet, despite the worry of the people surrounding his body, the young man kept a small smile on his face. It was the expression of a man still caring for his friends and family, for a man willing to make sure that his loved ones don't see him suffering, see his life slipping out from beneath him as a dark shadow consumes what's left of him. However, it was the same spirit that would see his destiny come to fruition.

"Mr. Allen, are you there? The pain isn't too bad now, is it?" One of the nurses slowly neared the man, resting her hand slowly on his wrist, checking his pulse to make sure that everything was still alright. What she didn't know, was that regardless of his heart beating healthily, his soul was slowly rotting away, succumbing itself to the reality of death that lay ahead of him.

"No no, I feel fine, Ms. Yolanda. When is this appointment going to be over again? Feeling pretty hungry for a Big Belly Burger right now" The lies seemed to come out like a river, flowing smoothly off his tongue as if he had been doing it all his life. In actuality, his stomach felt like it had been mauled by a lion, torn apart by its raging jaws, leaving behind only the pain and suffering that wracked his body every second of the day.

"Don't worry Mr. Allen, just a few more seconds, and you'll be on your way. And next time you come for your appointment, you better bring one for me. No one can make burgers like they can" She playfully answered, chuckling softly in response as she checked the readings, glancing over the various procedures that the young man had already undergone. She couldn't imagine what he must be feeling at this moment, the incoherent thoughts passing through his mind, his pain unable to be comprehended by anyone but himself.

"Thank you, and you can bet on it" Another lie, passing through his lips and into the ears of a blissfully ignorant soul, one who did not about what he knew truly lay ahead for him. Quietly and carefully, he rose from the bed, grabbing the cane resting by the IV monitor as it helped lift himself up onto his feet. Barry wobbled a little, before regaining balance, flashing a nervous smile at the nurse before making his way out the door.

"See you later, Mr. Allen"

"Thank you. Goodbye, Ms. Yolanda."

No one would notice his smile disappear, the painful expression becoming clearly evident in his eyes, as the grip around his cane tightened with the determination of a man who was ready to commit his final act, of a man who had realized that his time upon this Earth had already come to a close. It was time to finish what he had begun, to ensure that he went out on his own terms, not at anyone else's.

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Joe. Thank you. Thank you for taking me in when I had no one. Thank you for caring for me, for giving me love and a family, and helping me become the man that I am....was. I know that one of these days, you're going to see Iris get married, and get grandchildren of your own. But I just hope that you don't forget about the son that you had, the son that you helped save that night