Doorknobs - A Short Story

Ever since I was a child, dance has been my world. I loved dancing; it would be my escape from reality. 15 hours a week, I’d escape.

I broke something once. When I went to the doctor, he told me I was sick. He told me I had to stop dancing immediately and permanently because I was so sick. It all seemed happened so fast but it developed slowly and painfully over the course of a year. Every time I heard music, I’d still silently count it. 5, 6, 7, 8. I’d dance in my head. I didn’t break my body; I broke the doorknob to my escape. I was locked out.

It all hit me this morning. It was the morning after the doctor put some weird chemicals into my body. All I remember is him telling me that my life was attached to one small wire and he was going to help me breathe. I then realized a piece of paper on the left; a card. I reached out and began to read.

“Dearest Abby, We miss you here at the academy. We’ll pay you a visit soon! Get well soon. Never give up.”

I laughed as I threw the card onto the ground. They told me they’d visit the day I got diagnosed and I haven’t seen any of them in a year. And all that nonsense about never giving up? They don’t understand what I’m going through, no one does. This was the end. I knew it. I needed to dance one more time. It took all the living strength in me, but I got up and walked into the cold hallway, wires and all, and started counting. 5, 6, 7, 8. I twirled. I threw my arms up and jumped. But it was too late, I was tangled in wires.

“Worthless wires! You can’t help me!” I shouted furiously. I hurried back into the room and started pulling out my life connections. The last one, my heart, was the last wire. I heard footsteps. Now or never Abby. My fingers gripped the knob. Slowly, I turned it. The footsteps were louder. I pulled. My life was unplugged. Nothing was happening. Suddenly, I felt my breaths becoming smaller and heavier. I felt trapped. I couldn’t stop it, but I felt free.

And then I fell. I broke the doorknob to my life.

© Romina F