The Waiting Room

    

The Waiting Room

 

     The lights appeared out of the darkness and a cold hand was reaching into my chest. It pulled at my heart and my soul, ripping it out of my body. I tried to scream but found no sound. My hands grabbed at the air as I gasped for oxygen. My lungs felt close to exploding.

     I was in pain and my entire body was swept over with confusion. Soon, however, the pain was gone. Slowly my body seemed to be disappearing. I couldn't feel my legs, my arms, anything. I couldn't move anything, but my body began to lift into the air and towards the lights. I was terrified, but my brain told me I should relax, so I did.

     Finally, I regained power in my legs as I was dropped onto a pitch black platform that lead into the lights. I covered my eyes as the lights grew brighter; they were blinding me. Soft whispers were coming from all around. I couldn't understand what they were saying, whatever they actually were. I spun in circles, my hands still shielding my eyes.

     "What!?!," I yelled, "I can't hear you!"

     Then suddenly the voice grew louder and closer. As if someone was right next to me, they began to speak.

     "Walk into the lights."

    The voice echoed; the message being repeated at a constant rate. I wasn't sure what to do. A thousand thoughts ran through my head at that very moment and I couldn't think straight. My body seemed to be moving forward subconsiously and I soon realized how badly the light burned my skin. Like fire, I could feel my body sizzling. What was this?

     The light quickly consumed my entire being and the burning stopped. My entire life flashed before my eyes. My first birthday, my school play, my grandfather's funeral, everything. Even things I didn't remember replayed right in front of me. I stared in amazement, still clueless as to what was truly happening.

     Eventually, the flashbacks faded and I was thrown into another room. The walls and floors were a solid, pure, white. On one wall there was a red door labeled "Hell". On another there was a blue door labeled "Heaven". And finally, on the third wall, there was a white door. It's surface was blank.

      At this moment I knew what I was. I was dead. How did I die, though? I coldn't remember anything. I glanced around the room once more. In the center of the room there was a small golden key. I gulped and slowly proceeded to move towards it. Bending over, I carefully gathered it with my right hand.

     The key was beautiful, with a delicate design of golden vines crafted along the side. I stood up straight and once again examined the room. I crossed my fingers as I walked towards the blue door marked "Heaven". I tried to push the key into the lock of the door, but it didn't fit. Tears swelled up in my eyes as an uncomfortable feeling raced through my body. I looked over to the red door and then down to the key. What had I done to deserve to go to Hell?

     As tears ran down my cheeks I remembered the white door. A small ounce of hope crept over me. I ran to it, praying silently that the key would fit its lock. As I reached the door, I stopped abruptly and studied the shining key. Time seemed to be in slow motion as I pushed the key into the lock; it fit.

     The door suddenly opened and a gush of wind blew across my face, blowing back my hair like chocolate waves. I pushed against the wind with all of my strength. My eyes were forced shut by the wind. Finally, the wind came to a stop and the door slammed shut behind me. The room was dark, but a window lay at the other side, letting in small beams of light.

     A chair was placed in the corner, facing the wall. A man dressed in white sat in the chair with his arms crossed over his chest. He stood and turned towards me.

    "I've been waiting for you."

    His lips moved as if he was speaking, but it seemed like the voice was coming from the air, distant. He glided across the floor in my direction. He stopped about a foot away from my body. As he stopped, he reached for something in his back pocket. It appeared to be a small screen. He handed to me and it began to play a video; a video of me.

     "It's-It's-It's me." I stuttered as I realized that I was watching a live video of myself. "How is this possible?" I asked, glancing up at the mysterious man dressed in white.

     "You aren't dead yet," He carefully explained, "you're simply inbetween. The doctors are trying to save you."

     "Well, then why am I here?" I had a look of confusion upon my face as I aked this question.

     "This is where you must wait." He answered. "You tried to kill yourself. You took an overdose of pills."

     I was shocked. Why would I try to do something so reckless? I don't want to die! I need my family. I can't die. Tears began to form in the ducts of my eyes. I sat down in the chair in the corner of the room and continued to watch the small screen. I could see the doctors running around me frantically, injecting fluids, and running tests. All I could do was wait.

     I felt helpless. I just wanted to go home, to be home with my family. I looked around the small room and noticed that the man in white had disappeared. I was alone. Then I began to wonder. If I did die would I go to Heaven or Hell? I thought about my past, had I been good enough?

     My eyes were growing weary and I began to drift away. Not die, but sleep. I yawned and stretched my arms, my head rolling back on my shoulders. It had been an unusually long day for me. Afterall, I had taken an overwhelmingly large amount of information in today, or had it been longer than a day? There was no way to tell.

     Before I could think anymore thoughts, I fell asleep. When I awoke I was lying in a bed. Noises surrounded me. Voices surrounded me. I lifted each eyelid with care. They were still heavy and the light hanging above me was making it even harder to pull them open; it made them sting, slightly. I could make out a figure standing over me, but it was fuzzy.

     I rapidly blinked my eyelids, regaining sight. I could make out the figure now. It was my mother. I smiled happily at the sight of her. Reaching out my hands I gave her a hug. I didn't want to let go, but I knew I had to. I could see that my entire family had come to visit. I was overjoyed.

     "I'm so glad to be alive." I whispered. My voice was hoarse and my stomach was in knots, but I didn't care. All I cared about was being with my family. I just wanted to go home and forget that I was ever here.

     That night I was checked out of the hospital. On the ride home I began to remember all that had happened before waking up in the hospital. I felt so real, but what if it was just a dream? Either way I know I never want to return, to the waiting room.

Reviews

[Nancy Lee Shrader]

Congrats on this well written story. Well done!!!