" I can hear you! " Flash Fiction

Janie lay motionless in the critical care unit at the local hospital. Two weeks had passed since she'd tripped and fell down her basement stairs. Her husband, Artie found her lying on the concrete floor when he returned from work on that fateful, Friday evening.

Blood was oozing out of both ears. She was unconscious, unresponsive to touch or verbal stimuli.

Artie spent every waking moment by her bedside, touching and talking to her, praying she would respond and open her eye's.

The heart monitor signaled when she was having difficulty breathing, and it was evident that each day her breathing became more labored.

Dr. Johnson entered the room when he heard the monitor beeping. He looked at Arnie and said, " We must think about putting your wife on life-support. It is up to you. You can see she needs help breathing. " Artie agreed, but he thought, " Would Janie want this? "

Although she couldn't speak or open her eye's, she heard every word spoken.

Her mind was crying out, " Please let me go. I'm in excruciating pain. She prayed, " Please God take me home. I'm ready. "

The heart monitor started beeping louder. Instead of a flat line words appeared in bold letters, " I love you Artie. My spirit will always be near you until we meet again. I am no longer in pain! "