Author Information
Goodbye
Flash Fiction Story
I remember I put down the phone. A million thoughts entered my mind as my older sister called my name. She was yelling, but I couldn’t hear a word she was saying. She grabbed me by my shoulders and shook me until I recovered my senses. “We need to leave. Now.” I quickly grabbed my coat and put it on. We stepped outside the house and into the merciless rain. They say that when it rains, the dead go to heaven faster.
Not long after, we arrived at the hospital and walked right into the Intensive Care Unit. We knew the way by heart now. Every single family member was there, in the waiting room. My Mom was weeping silently into my Dad’s shoulder. My Dad just hugged her, and stared into the nothingness ahead. All my family was crying. It was all so real, so raw.
I pushed open the door that led to the ICU. I unhurriedly washed my hands up to my elbows for what would probably be the last time. I stood behind the glass doors that would finally lead me to him. I didn’t want to walk through them. I felt so scared. My breathing quickened, and my heart battered against my ribs. I pushed the door open.
I walked by the different beds. The nurses all looked at me with pity. I couldn’t stand that look. I wanted to wipe it off of all of their faces. I finally arrived at my destination. I grabbed the curtain and pushed it aside. There he lay. His face a sickly greenish white. His arms lay limply beside him. A cold shiver ran down my spine. I turned around and almost ran away. I couldn’t stand to look at him like that. How could life be so cruel? How could death be so unforgiving? Why did it want him? Why not me? Then again, why me? I was not as good at everything or good at everyone as he was. To this day, I think him to be the purest soul that ever lived, that is why death wanted him to be by its side.
I slowly turned around again. I walked towards the old blue chair that stood by his bed. I sat on it for the last time. I wrapped my hands around his, and traced the little circles on them. He had always found this soothing. I don’t know if he felt at peace at that time. He had so many pipes and tubes entering and exiting his body. Some helped him him breathe, some delivered food or medicine, but they all kept him alive.
A tear made its way down my face. I started saying goodbye to him. I told him how much he was going to be missed, how much he actually meant to me. I told him I would always love him, and that he would always have a special place in my heart. I told him to save a place in Heaven for me. By now, tears were flowing freely down my cheeks, I didn’t bother stopping them, I didn’t even make a noise. I gently rose from my seat. I softly brushed my chapped lips against his cold forehead. I took one last fleeting look at him and walked away. I didn’t look back.
That is the last memory I have of my little brother.
