An Unforgettable Visit

A sick man receives a visit of a lifetime.

In the beginning of time, there was a young boy whose name is unknown. In fact, nobody is certain where he came from. There are many theories explaining his origins. Some believe he was sent to Earth by life on another planet. Some believe he merely spawned here out of the blue. Most people have no answer. The mystery behind this boy’s existence has left even the brightest and gifted minds clueless. This shadowy boy is an enigma, yet his impact on this world is forever ingrained.

At first, the boy lived a quiet life in his small town. Those who encountered him had no reason to believe he was anything but average. He was short and skinny with long, greasy black hair. He looked very pale and lifeless, yet for the most part, he wore a cheerful grin. He often kept to himself, but when greeted with company, the boy knew exactly what to say. He was very quick on his feet. People adored him. It wasn’t until a few years had gone by when things started to change. An elderly man in the last stage of his life became very ill. All of the townspeople were worried, for none of them had the slightest idea of what to do. A small crowd gathered outside the man’s house. Everyone was in a panic.

“What are we going to do?” a woman cried.

“There’s nothing we can do!” a man exclaimed back.

As the crowd became more rowdy, the young boy approached. A couple of years wiser, he had a determined look on his face. Despite all of the commotion, he was as calm as the wind. He put his hand to his mouth and let out a mighty cough to get the peoples’ attention.

“Allow me to visit the man,” said the young boy.

“You? A child? And what makes you think you know any better than we?” questioned one of the crowd members, attempting to hold back a laugh.

“Please allow me to see him, as I know the only way to cure his pain.” An earnest look rested upon the boy’s face.

The crowd members moved aside and made a path for the boy to enter the house. The boy made his way through the front yard and climbed up the porch. As he passed the crowd, a man exclaimed,

“My god! Is it just me or did it get awfully cold all of a sudden?”

“I feel it too,” responded another person from the crowd.

The boy simply ignored the comments, and he entered the house. From the outside, it was a quaint and nice-looking house. In contrast, the inside was as eerie as a graveyard. There was no light nor any sign of life. None of this seemed to phase the boy, and he worked his way through the house and climbed the stairs. He found the man’s bedroom. He could hear the irregular breathing followed by loud, congested coughs. The boy entered the room, and the man became terribly frightened. He jolted up, gripping his bed sheets tightly. For some strange reason, the boy’s presence seemed to be the opposite of what he needed.

“Who are you and what are you doing here?” bellowed the man. Tear drops were racing down his scared and helpless face. Interestingly enough, the boy seemed to lack empathy for the man. With a stern face, he cleared his throat and said,

“I am here to alleviate your suffering.”

        “What is happening to me, and how can you fix it?” the man was crying even harder. As he wiped his tears, a new stream covered his face once again in a vicious cycle.

         “You are dying,” the boy said plainly.

         “D-dying?” the man stuttered. He was unfamiliar and utterly confused. “What does this mean?”

         “Dying is the end to life. You were born, you lived, you are living at this moment, then you die. Death is the end to the story, and there is nothing you can do to prevent it. There is no expiration date, and you have no warning; it just happens. This is your time to die, and I can assure you it will be as quick and easy as falling asleep. Only then, will your pain be ridden.”

         As the boy finished explaining the concept of Death, the man sat in bewilderment. He looked away from the boy, who held his fate in the palm of his hand.

         “How can this be? I have only been on this planet for such a short time. I am not ready to give up my life. There are so many things I still wish to experience. So many places I wish to go, so many people I wish to meet. I do not understand this. It is not fair.”

         “I do not expect you to understand the idea of Death, especially because you are the first of its victims. However, this you should understand. Death is a natural part of life. You cannot live forever; it is not possible. Your soul can only take so much of this cruel and corrupting world. It is my job to rest your soul and put an end to your suffering. That is my purpose here. As for the missed opportunities, there will be plenty more to take advantage of in your next journey.”

         “And what might that be?” interrupted the man. Now, a little more calm than before.

         “Unfortunately, I cannot tell you that, for I do not know. The afterlife is what you make of it. Only those who have passed through the mortal world and into the unknown have that knowledge.

   However, I can tell you this much: whatever it may be, it is a much better place than this.” With those words, all of the man’s fears left his body. He began to accept his fate.

         “I just have one more question,” the man asked.

         “And what might that be?”

         “What is the dying process like?”

         “It is simple. Your soul will escape your body, and it will ascend into the unknown. As mentioned before, it will feel as if you were falling asleep.”

         “All right then. I am ready,” said the man with determination and hope.

            

“Good luck in the afterlife, my friend. It has been a pleasure to make your acquaintance.”

The boy reached out his hand and placed it on the man’s emaciated back. As he made contact, the man began to shut his eyes.

“I feel rather weird, and everything is going black. Yet, I see a light in the distance,” said the man.

“That is all normal,” said the boy, his hand still placed upon the man’s back.

“I now feel the best I have felt in years.”

“Rest now, your suffering is all over.”

As the boy pulled his hand back, the man let out a long sigh. He died a peaceful death, as the boy watched over him. He was finally at peace. The boy smiled, and despite his discolored appearance, he felt warm inside. He tucked the man into his bed, and he departed. As he made his way out of the house, the crowd surrounded him in a frenzy.

“What was wrong with the man?” someone asked excitedly.

“Did you cure him?” asked another.

Everyone had an eager look on their face, waiting for the boy to speak.

“The man will suffer no more,” the boy said, as he walked away from the crowd.

The entire crowd erupted in conversation. No one understood what the young boy meant. There was a lot of speculation, some heated debate, but no answers. The strange, young boy came into their lives as quickly as he fled. No one ever saw the boy again. All he left was a trace of cold air, and he was gone until his next visit.