Book of Unfinished Stories

Alive.

Summary

Tristan Douglas, A young man whose dedication is beyond any man in this world. Tristan dedicated himself to the woman he loves dearly even though she is in a deep sleep; a coma. He still continued to support her by paying the hospital bills from any means necessary even to the point of going bankrupt, working until he collapse  and risking himself. A miracle has happened and the woman he loves is awake, telling him that she loves him as well. But Tristan's secret is preventing him from loving her.

Empty. That's I ever felt upon hearing the news, not single emotion sparked within me since the morning. Knowing it was would happen so soon in my life, I realized I never had done anything special or anything worthy. Nothing at all. Walking on the sidewalk through the bustling crowd, unknown people bumping into me and yelling for getting in their way but I didn't hear them nor acknowledged them in any way. I was trapped in my own mind without knowing, I found myself at an old park bench and remembered an old memory. Something I haven't thought of for a time now because every time I remember her, I still get teary.

It was the middle of August and I was just young boy near the age of 8 when I saw her. She had chocolate brown hair with pretty butterflies' hair clips, brown eyes that brought warmth to your soul just by staring into them. A face with a pale complexion but beautiful as snow, a beauty mark below her right eye and yet that added more elegance to her structure. She was kind, caring and passionate about her dreams and goals. I was always alone despite my mother bringing me to the park every day to make friends but no other children wanted to be near me because I was from the country side. They only made fun of me, calling me names like pig boy, farmer's dog and many others I didn't want to remember. But she was kind enough to allow me join her on her adventures through the park, we played the day away and vowed to meet on this vary bench the next day to finish our adventures. We were just kids but I knew immediately, that I was and still am in love with her.

Years went by and we, both enter high school together. High school may have not been the best for us and often brings out the worse in all of us. In high school, we met friends and bonded but like the leaves floating in a river; we all drifted away from each other because of rumors, gossip and relationship dramas in our small circle. There were times, I wished to stop everything and simply leave but I got through it because she was still here with me, encouraging me and mostly, she believed in me.

And then we, both made it to the universities of our dreams. Everything was fine and we were only a step further into achieving our goals but the reality came crashing down like harsh tidal waves, my world was cracking. The earth shook and trembled that day, people were running away from the buildings, screams were heard as soon as the building collapsed. I heard nothing but the endless ringing in my ears as I tried to escape for cover from the quaking earth, her shouts for me were in vain when I through the floor into the room below me. When I awoke, I only heard the constant beeping sound of the heart monitor to my left and the blinding sun on my right. I was asleep in the hospital with a few broken bones for 2 weeks and it took days for things to settle into a sorrowful calm. Asking the many nurses and doctors about her; She was the only one I truly cared about, not caring for myself. The next morning, I've received news about her. Sitting by her bed, holding her slightly warm hands in my own while silent tears rained down on my face. She was alive but in a deep coma so I sit by her bedside, every single day. Waiting for the day when she can open those gorgeous brown eyes of hers.

But four years has passed and she hadn't shown no change, my world was fading. I worked for paying her medical bill and took the blame on my shoulders when her mother came, I sold my stuff while moving to a closer apartment by the hospital. I did all this for her, to stay by her side, to support her like how she supported me through my beginning and now, here I am risking my life for her.

Unlocking the door to my worn-down apartment and immediately spotting the piles of work papers that are due next month, made me groaned in exhaustion. Throwing my jacket on the couch and making my way to the kitchen. Empty ramen bowls and crushed soda cans littered the counters; the small table and an over-filled trash can greet me along with over-due bills, digging in the cabinets for another bowl of ramen for satisfaction of my hunger. Nothing. After digging in every cabinet and looking in the fridge for about 15 minutes, still nothing to eat. With a loud sigh, I decided not to eat since my food pantry was bare and I had work to finish over on the coffee table. Working with an empty stomach is nothing new to me since I had to budget myself and pay for the special someone's medical bills. I worked until I realized I was falling to the side of the couch and looked at the time from my dinosaur flip phone; it was about three in the morning and I needed to sleep.

With only four hours of sleep, I got up from the couch and went to get showered. Coming out from the cold shower, I looking at the mirror and saw a broken man with over-due debts for his now crumbling world. A skinny man with a stubble that needs shaving, dirty blonde hair and dull blue eyes with obvious under eye bags. He was starving, poor and exhausted but that man still shown hope in his eyes, that man was me. Tristan Douglas; a man suffering for the woman he loves with everything.

Walking into the hospital kept reminding me how much I hated it and how yesterday went. Not bothering to tell the receptionist that I am here for an early visit nor did she bother trying to stop me since she knew that, I come here everyday at seven in the mornings and everyday at six in the evenings. Climbing into the elevator to the second floor where she currently resides and walking pass the many doors of stable patients is always something I already recognized since day one. Knocking on her door before entering is an old habit due to the past accidents of me walking in on her while changing and the way my mother raised me is to be polite and gentlemen like.

There she was, still sleeping as if nothing ever happened and despite looking a ghostly pale, she still obtained her beauty. Taking a seat by her bedside and holding her warm hand until my leave. I often thought that she was the true sleeping beauty of the fairytale and she's currently dreaming, living her fairytale. My throat felt dry and my heart was beating slowly, I needed to tell her even though she may not be able to respond in any way. But she needed to know about my sudden appointment with the doctor and why I was felt like something is caught in my throat, why I felt pains in my chest and why I felt my world was tearing itself apart.

"Aurora. I am dying"