Stone Serpent

Save Her, Take Me

 The wind blew outside as Carmen held her mother's frail hand within her own. Carmen took a deep breath and looked at her mother's face, seeing her hollowed cheekbones and sunken eyes.

Her mother was dying from a disease that no doctor could figure out and Carmen was now left alone in their home to watch her mother slowly die. Carmen had begged the doctors in the city to run every test, to do everything in their power to rid the disease that was killing her mother. She cried to anyone that would listen in the medical field, but her attempts proved to be a waste of time and futile. All the tests came back clean. Every doctor had the same answer: "I don't know" or "This is out of my field of knowledge, get a second opinion."

Carmen cried in sadness and frustration as she thought over all the second opinions she received over the last couple of months. All futile in the end. All dead ends that started out with many different turns that seemed to lead to results. The only thing Carmen held left to prove her attempts was the medical bills. Each one stashed away in their bill cupboard to be dealt with on a different day. Any day other than this one.

Carmen cried silently, feeling suddenly alone in the world. Her mother's unsteady breath filled the air with the wind, but Carmen couldn't shake the feeling of emptiness and utter loneliness.

A couple branches tapped against the window as if to let Carmen know she wasn't alone. That it wasn't just her and her mother in the house that was miles away from the nearest city.

A tear slipped Carmen's eye and she quickly wiped it away with the back of her hand, "I'm sorry mother. I tried my best, but nothing worked. No one knows what's wrong and I wish I could take away your suffering. I wish we could trade places because I would in a heartbeat."

Her mother gave her a tight smile, closing her eyes as she did so, "Mellow," she began, coughing a bit before continuing, "I wouldn't want us to switch positions. I want you to live a long life. I have taught you so much that I know you will be okay when I pass."

Carmen shook her head, her mother's words not helping the pain that her heart felt, "I am so sorry mother."

"Don't be sorry my dear Mellow. I have lived a good life. The heavens are calling me and I should answer," her mother, Frankie, coughed, turning her head away from Carmen.

With each cough, a piece of Carmen's heart broke. Each cough caused Frankie a little bit of pain that would later cause her to wheeze and fall short of breath. Carmen shook her head, moving her trembling fingers over a cold glass of water and holding it out to her mother.

Frankie abruptly sat up in the bed, bringing her head into her arm as another fit of coughs wrecked havoc through her body.

Carmen let a small sob escape her mouth as she placed a hand on her mother's back. She could feel her spine through the thin material of her shirt. Her mother was thin, so thin that Carmen was scared her bones would break from a simple touch. Carmen let the tears flow freely as she helped her mother lay back down, relinquishing the thought away.

Frankie looked at her, sighing softly, "I don't want you to watch me in these last few moments. Please go call the doctor and let her know that I am dying. She will send someone in the morning to get my body."

Carmen shook her head, the tears rolling down her cheeks onto the bed sheet, "I can't lose you. You've always been here for me, how can I just say goodbye?" she cried, her voice cracking a little at the end.

Frankie brought a hand up to her face, wiping away a couple tears, "it's not goodbye. It is until we meet again my dear. You are the light of my life and I will always be with you."

Carmen held her mothers' hand on her cheek, her body shaking in fits of sadness and pain, "how will you always be with me? I can't just watch you die and not do anything!"