Story Ideas

Last breath

I was on my deathbed, taking my last few breaths. I could hear the slow beeping sound of the heart monitor. My parents and two older siblings were standing by my bed, my parents holding one of my hands and my siblings holding the other. I struggled to breathe as my mother gently wiped the sweat on my forehead with a face towel. My father was quietly looking at me, tears running down his cheeks as he caressed my hand.

I wanted to open my mouth, desperate to tell them the words in my heart. I wanted to convey my feelings, tell my will to them. But I was too weak to do so and could not even force my mouth open. My emotions escaped through my tears, tears that my older sister, Courtney, carefully wiped away as she sobbed. My older brother, Daniel, the oldest among the three of us, had his arm around her, comforting her as he spoke to me, "Adelia, I'm so sorry for all the time I've annoyed you. I didn't know this would happen. I wished I was a better brother for you. Take care of yourself up there because Courtney and I won't be there to protect you. Okay?"

I did not reply to him and squeezed his hand weakly instead. Daniel's eyes widened when he felt me squeeze his hand and gave me a broken smile as he held my hand tighter. Throughout the whole time, I had been mustering my energy to open my mouth for one last time to tell them a simple 'thank you'. I was going to open my mouth, to force my cracked lips open when I felt it. My vision slowly darkened until I could see nothing but a single tunnel. My family must have sensed it too because suddenly, the noise level increased around me. Wails and heart-wrenching sobs could be heard around me but I did not know why they were crying over me. It was like I had forgotten everything in that split second.

I did not care for my surroundings. All I cared about was the sudden, blinding light that erupted at the end of the dark pathway. My eyes could only make out that pathway, the lone tunnel that had bright light erupting at its end. I felt myself sit up before standing shakily. I stood and waited for a while to regain the strength back in my legs after not using them for months. Once I could stand fully without fear of crashing to the ground, I turned to look back.

And saw another me.

The other me was lying on the bed, her eyes blank and the sound of the heart monitor flatlining blaring in my ears. I saw an unfamiliar woman with wisps of graying hair wailing her heart out as her hand moved to closed my eyelids, her fingers trembling violently. The aged man next to her had crumpled against the bed, his face smothered on the blanket covering the other me. A much younger man and woman had collapsed into a sobbing heap, the young woman stroking my face with her slender fingers. I only stared at them silently, not knowing or remembering who they were.

After observing them for another minute, I turned back to walk down the dark pathway. It felt like I had walked for a thousand years but eventually, I made it to the end of the tunnel. I let out a slight wince when the light burned my eyes as I stepped out of the tunnel. My eyes widened at the sight before me.

Huge, palace-like buildings dotted the area as people flew around, the sound of chatter in the air. There were people parrying with swords in the air and people blasting energy balls at one another. Some were holding huge bags that pulsed with energy and some were cradling small animals in their arms.

The sound of a hammer striking a metal plaque was heard as a booming voice spoke,

"Welcome to Elysia, young one."