Dying Wish

Prologue

I think I'm dying, thought sixteen year old Laura. Memories flooded her mind of the happy times she had with those she loved. She wanted them to go on forever, but here and now, she would complete the final chapter of her life.

Most people would be frightened, but she wasn't, really. She supposed it was God's peace holding her together. Although she had the unfamiliarity of physical death against her, she knew she had wonderful, everlasting life ahead of her. She would surge ahead into a new, spiritual life in Heaven, where she would celebrate the Lord forever.

Laura smiled. Despite her pain, despite her feeling of being eaten up on the inside, she felt happy, content.

"Mom." She said weakly.

"Oh, Sweetie, yes?" Replied her mom with tears in her eyes as she held her daughters hand.

"Remember?" She gave a frail smile. "My wish?"

"Yes," nodded her mom solemnly. "I remember."

"Please?" Pleaded Laura, her eyes begging.

"I'll try," said her mom as she wiped a tear away. "What you're asking for is big, but I'll try."

Laura seemed content with that enough, so she smiled. "I think I'm going home today."

Her mom was confused. "You're sick. You can't go home yet."

"With God."

Her mom tried to contain her flood of tears. "Today? You think you're...dying? Baby, I need you. You're my only child!"

"God will protect me," insisted Laura. "You'll be okay. I want you and dad and everyone else to know, I really, really love you. I'm sad for you but I'm so excited to spend the rest of my life in perfect peace with God. I'll be okay. Don't worry."

"What about me?" Asked her sobbing mother.

"If you let Him," said Laura as her voice grew weaker and weaker, "God will protect you. God loves you, mom, and I do too. I love you all."

Her mom didn't know what to say, so she just cried and hugged her daughter. She pushed the nurse's button to see if she could do anything about her daughter.

"I'm sorry," they said when they came. "We can't. The cancer, well, it is physically eating away at her insides. All we can do is give her painkillers so the feeling won't be so prevalent."

"No," said Laura's mom. "No, no, no! This is all wrong! All of it!" She fell to the floor, reaching her breaking point. "This wasn't supposed to happen!"

Laura stood up again and looked at her daughter, who was now sleeping after her meltdown. "Here, God," she said. "You want me to believe You're real? That You love me? Then prove it. Give my daughter and long, happy, healthy life. Sickness and pain free. That's what I want. So if You want me to believe in You, do that."

Immediately after challenging God, Laura's heart beat stopped. The machine beeped loudly to alert the nurses and doctors.

Her mom had a meltdown again. "No! Bring her back! Bring my baby back!"