Short stories

Cancer

The steady beep of the machine was a constant in my ears. I was used to the sound by now and drowned it out most of the time. I had been in hospital for months for cancer. 

They told me and I didn't believe it at first. But soon it became obvious and it got progressively worse as time went on. 

I knew I didn't have long. 

My friends no longer visited one who was closer to death every day.
My mother no longer saw her daughter. All she saw was a shell of the girl she realised.
All skin and bones.
My father, well, let's just say he was far too busy at work to see his dying daughter.
The only person who was a constant in my life was my girl. 

I couldn't help the smile that overtook my face as I thought about her.
She brightened my day.
Every day without fail she arrives as the clock hands strike twelve.
I looked at the time. It was fifteen minutes past twelve.
She was late.

Soon ten minutes turned into twenty and that soon turned into a full hour.
My body felt weak and my eyes were heavy. I presumed she had given up and abandoned me like everyone else. 

It had been six hours and she still wasn't here. I refused to let the tears that wanted to leak out from my eyes fall.
The feeling of abandonment filled me.
Again.
Alone. 

A doctor entered my room, his face full of sadness and pity. I knew I was dying but I held on, wanting to see her one last time.
The doctor spoke and I found out why she never arrived.

Drunk driver. She had died on the operating table 2 hours ago. 

I let go.
I felt numb and no longer felt any pain. I watched the doctor shout out, but no sound reached my ears. 

My body finally gave out from the fighting and I felt nothing.
The coldness I felt before, that I had felt deep in my bones, turned into warmth.
Arms that I knew wrapped around my waist from behind and I smiled when she pressed against me. 

No longer did my body hurt.
I relaxed and felt at peace. 

I was finally home.