Previous Challenge Entry (Level 1 – Beginner)
Topic: Flowers (10/03/05)
-
TITLE: Hope for Something Better | Previous Challenge Entry
By Stacey Mahuna
10/08/05 -
LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE
SEND A PRIVATE COMMENT
ADD TO MY FAVORITES
Her parents stood by the couch, waiting for me to break the silence with some word of encouragement or hope, but none would come.
“Uh…you look nice,” I said hesitantly. Immediately, I regretted the words. How could I say that to her, in the condition she was in?
She smiled softly at me. “Thank you.” Her voice was sweet, even through the pain I knew she was struggling with. Her beautiful blue eyes never blinked, never looked away from my face, even though I knew she couldn’t see me. It was one of many side effects of the disease that had wreaked havoc on her body for the last four years. She never complained, but I could tell how much she suffered. There were times that I had longed for her to die, just so she could be at peace…and now, my wish was about to come true.
My stomach twisted, ready at any moment to relinquish its contents. I stubbornly kept it down. Her parents had warned me before I came in to show no weakness or signs of breaking down. It would be bad for her, they had said.
“I brought this for you,” I said softly, laying an object in her lap. Her delicate fingers brushed over it, and her face lit up with a smile of joy. She lifted the flower up to her nose and sniffed it gently.
“Carnation,” she announced. “My favorite.”
A small grin came over my face. “I had hoped that you would like it.”
“I do.” She stroked the petals lovingly. I could think of nothing to say, and fell silent. The room was quiet for a few moments.
“We’ll leave you two alone,” her father whispered softly to me. I smiled gratefully to them, and her mother gave a nod of understanding before following her father out the door.
We were silent for a few seconds after they left – her staring blankly at nothing in particular, me staring at her, not sure what to say.
Finally, she broke the silence. “Jacob?”
“Yeah?”
She paused before answering. “Are you scared?”
A long pause. “Yeah,” I whispered. “I am.” Her blank eyes turned towards me.
“Don’t be. I’m not. I know that I have nothing to lose…and everything to gain.” She smiled softly at this. “I’m excited, actually. I’ll be able to see again…and walk again…and you won’t have to worry about me anymore.” She held up the flower I had given her. “Even though I can’t see it…it reminds me of the day when I’ll be able to. It gives me hope.” Gently, she laid it in my hand. “I want you to have it.”
A huge lump rose in my throat. “Are you sure?”
She nodded.
My hand closed around the fragile stem without a word. Unsure of what to say, I simply stayed silent. She lay back on the couch wearily. Even our short conversation had worn her out. Turning her head to one side, she closed her eyes slowly.
“I’ll leave you to rest,” I said, beginning to rise. She didn’t answer. I glanced over to her.
She lay still, her body motionless. A small smile decorated her lips. Her hand still grasped mine, but that was motionless, too.
I shakily felt for a pulse, although I already knew that I would not find one. She’d gone on, and the hand I held had no life in it – it was merely an empty shell.
The carnation still lay in my hand. As I stared at it, her words echoed in my mind. She’s free, Jacob, my mind whispered to me. Free.
“Free,” I echoed softly. After a moment’s hesitation, I grasped the flower tightly in my hand and stood up. Then, with a last glance in her direction, I walked out of the room, shutting the door behind me.
The opinions expressed by authors may not necessarily reflect the opinion of FaithWriters.com.
If you died today, are you absolutely certain that you would go to heaven? You can be right now. CLICK HERE
JOIN US at FaithWriters for Free. Grow as a Writer and Spread the Gospel.
