Transition

The Transition to death from the eyes of a dying girl.

''No Pain''

by Alexander E. Davis

Joan woke up frightened by the darkness.  She had awoken in a dark forest, lying in a bed of pine needles, not knowing how she had gotten there.  ''Oh, my God',' Joan said quietly.  She was so frightened, so scared.  The last she remembered, she was in her bedroom, on the verge of sleep, looking out of her window.  The night had been dark and cold as the storm raged outside her window.  Rain lashed against the glass and lighting flashed, showing her glimpses of the forest looming across the field.  Every flash made it seem as though the forest was calling her....

She could remember now.  A dark figure had appeared before her window, a figure that seemed to know her, be part of her.  Dazed, she was beginning to realize her worst nightmare had just become reality.  Alone in the forest, Joan stood in a panic, frantically scanning her surroundings.  She knew this area; she had walked it many times before.  Close to her, the tree she had climbed as a child.  Joan knew her house was only a few yards away, and she sprinted in the direction she knew it to be.  When she arrived at the spot, she fell onto her knees, shocked and afraid.  The field where her house used to stand was now empty"no house"no sign of life anywhere.  Everything had simply…vanished.

Joan spun around several times, searching the area.  She was positive this was the field, yet nothing was there"only emptiness, and the light of the moon.  She gradually became aware that everything was dim; a murky gray haze seemed to cover her vision.  It was like looking through smoky glass.  Her panic grew, it became palpable.  Where was she?  Where was everything?  Where was her house?  She caught a glimpse of something, a dark figure flashed across the field.  Joan turned towards it, panting heavily from dread.  The dark figure began to materialize out of the fog, seeming to float toward her ever so slowly.

''Don't be scared child.''  The figure spoke in as though with two deep baritone voices, both at the same time.

''Everything happens for a reason,” the figure said, its lips remained unmoving.

Joan felt herself begin to hyperventilate, the scene more terrifying than any human being could possibly stand.  The sky twisted into complete darkness, a full moon lingering dimly the sky, lending just enough light to her ordeal to truly terrify her.

The shadow walked closer, until it was only steps away, close enough for her to touch, if she chose.  Her horror only increased upon seeing its face:  Where there should have been a face, there was a morass of swirling shadows and lights, sucking at her sanity like a giant black hole.  She tried to move, to take a step back, but was frozen in place.  She struggled against the paralysis, to no avail.

"Do no fear me child, for I am your salvation," the figure spoke in that hauntingly beautiful voice, so seductive, so cold.

"Wh…wha…what do you want with me?" Joan stuttered.  She tried to recoil as the figure moved even closer, its face changing into the vague image of a woman.

''I don’t want anything from you.  It’s what you want from me,'' it said, its voice becoming soothing, stroking her like a lover’s hand.

Suddenly, Joan was back in her bed, staring up at the ceiling, strange people surrounding her.  She could faintly make out the faces of her parents standing in the corner of the room.  Joan tried to speak but couldn’t; she tried to breathe, but…..couldn’t.

In an instant, she was once again in the field with the mysterious figure.  Joan sank to her knees, sobbing heavily.  ''What’s going on?''  Tears poured down her face, a rivulet of snot running to the corner of her mouth and down her chin.

"You are dying," the figure said with a cold finality.  Joan just sat there, unable to respond.  How can that be?  I am healthy, I am an athlete"I can’t be dying.  The figure seemed sad, "You are my child, and only I can help."

"How is this possible"how can I be dying?  None of this makes sense!’’ Joan screamed at the shadowy figure, her voice treading upon a note of hysterical.  "I did everything I could, I was healthy!  I lived a good life!"  Joan looked at the ground in despair, hands falling limply to dangle at her sides.

''Come with me.  There is no pain were we are going.''

Joan refused to follow; she looked at the specter defiantly.  Once again, she saw the ceiling in her room, her parents now holding her hand.  Her mother was kneeling on the floor next to her bed, weeping.  Joan tried to speak, but nothing would come out, her lips refused to move.  She tried to move, tried to reach out and embrace her mother, but only her eyes opened faintly.  Her father quickly moved closer to her, ‘‘Joan?  Joan?  Joan, can you hear me?  Joan!” said her father in frantic voice.

As she began to make a sound, she flashed back into the presence of the shadowy figure.  “Why am I here? "  Joan screamed, shaking her fists at her antagonist.

"You are here to find help,” the figure said in a sure voice.

"What kind of help can I get here?  What kind of help do I need?"

Before she got her answer, her father’s face once again appeared in front of her, clutching her hand, trying to comfort her.  Joan noticed flashing red lights that seemed to be those of an ambulance.  Her hearing completely shut down, her vision was fading; her mother was trembling and crying harder than Joan had ever seen, and the father she had never seen cry, fell across her body, sobs wracking his body.

From a distance, the figure’s eerie dual voices sounded in her head, speaking in the most melodic voice she had ever heard, ''It will be alright.  Where you are going, there is no pain. There is no pain. no pain...only peace... peace for all who embrace it'.'  Joan, growing weaker, opened her eyes one last time, looking at her parents. ''It will be alright..there is no pain...only peace.''  Somehow, she thought she managed a smile. In an instant, Joan was back in the mysterious world.  Only now, she was enveloped in a feeling of ultimate peace and tranquility, her fear and anxiety completely gone.

“Come with me child...there will be no pain.''  The figure reached for Joan’s hand, pale white fingers beckoning.  Accepting the figure’s hand, Joan looked into the sky, a bright flash charging the area with a vibrant electricity.

There was no pain…she was at peace.

Back in front of the house, the weeping of Joan’s parents filled the night air.  Joan’s body was loaded onto a stretcher and hauled up into the back of the ambulance by the EMTs’. Joan would never open her eyes again, but she is in no more pain…no more pain.

*A last tear runs down her cheek as they zip up the bag, enclosing her in darkness

Author's Note

Constructive criticism greatly appreciated.

Reviews

[Inyourshadow]

I loved it. The whole piece ran with both emotion and tension, the imagery of both scenerios is dark and richly painted in words, the whole back and forth as she wavers between life and death is excellent, keeps one wondering will she won't she die. A real gem, keep em' coming

[siddharth]

good flow of the story.shows that empathy for the character can be developed even in such a short narrative

[Hoosier Belle]

Such a sad yet wonderful write. I see nothing to critize about. I am not good at that anyway. I think its an amazing read.

[Arielle Ann]

A masterpiece I must say. The entire setting was gripping,supposed to be horrifying ,but I dint feel a spec of fear while reading it.peace and tranquility that's what..amazing read.

[Yellow Butterfly]

You could feel the sadness throughout your work written with such empathy.

Her angel of death helping her soul transition to death... gone to a better place!

A very well penned piece, Well done

[Aeternal Oceanfire]

That was amazing and very sad.

[- - -]

That. Was. AMAZING.

[etxcp]

You kinda creeped me out!

[Cassie Fraga]

opening with writing that questions was brilliant!! That always keeps the reader yearning! and your world play was awesome!! great read honey!!