• She lay dying in the hospital bed. Her skin was thin and pale. It looked papery thin and delicate. Her eyes are already half closed as if inviting death to come. Her hands are thin and boney. They tremble incessantly. She keeps reaching and clutching for something or someone. The long fingers search the folds of her covers as if searching for something. Her hair has become thing and brittle.

    Her whole body is frail and thin. She use to be a fighter. In her last years she has lost the muscle, wit, and cunning it takes to fight. Death is reducing her to nothing but bones and skin. Her heart is failing her and strains to continue doing its job. The only reason it can manage what it does is because of the machine forcing it to. She is still young, but death does not see age only who is supposed to leave next.

    Her lover sits by her bed. He has not shaved for a while and his beard is growing. He has not left her side except to relieve himself of bodily functions. He has tried to get her to eat, but is forced to stop when she looks at him and beg for death to come quickly with her eyes.

    Her eyes were amazing at one time. Deep blue with white rays. Now they are dull and only want death. The blue has faded and the white has grown more prominent. They search her lovers face. Her eyes take in all that can be seen and things that can’t be seen.

    When death has come to get her she smiles faintly. She knows it’s time to go. She breath easily now. Her lover looks up from the book he was reading to her.

    “What is it love?” He asks softly. He fears her answer.

    “I can see them...” She murmurs. Her eyes go distant and she smiles more.

    “Who can you see?” His voice shakes. he already knows the answer she will give.

    She smiles, “I see the elves, love. They are just as I hoped. I see them better now. They are smiling and calling me.” Her choice is weak, but the smile on her face is strong.

    Tears fall from his face. He doesn’t want this to happen. He had hoped that she would get better. He grabs her frail hands and holds on tight.

    “Are you sure? Can you not stay here with me? Can you not get better?”

    She smiles, “I need to go to them, love. I won’t hurt when I’m there. I’ll wait for you, my love.”

    He starts shaking; the day that he feared had come at last. The tears would not be stopped. For a moment all that could be heard is her heard breathing.

    “Wait for me, my love. I will see you there some day...” He murmurs to her.

    “Take your time in coming. I don’t want our children left alone in the world. They will need you as I have needed you in the past. Remember, I love you.”

    He shudders. “I will do as you ask of me.” He replies.

    He knows that she would hurt no longer. He watches her take her last few breaths. He can not help himself when he hears the flat line of the machine. That noise will be etched in his mind forever.

    “I will see you again my love.” She forces as her last words.

    After he knows she was gone he mutters, “I will miss you until we meet again.” He then kisses her cold hands the way he had when they first met.

    With one final look at her calm, beautiful eyes her closes them and left. When he comes into the waiting room, where all of the family has gathered, he sighs.

    “She won’t be hurting anymore.” He explains.

    Tears are still falling from his face unheeded. He looks at all the faces in the room. They were all crying. His gaze lands on a little girl and a little boy. The little girl has bright blue eyes and golden blonde curls. They little boy has long slender hands and slightly slanting eyes.

    The little girl looks up from her book. She stands up and goes to hug his leg. She smiles up at him.

    “Did Mommy get to see the elves Daddy?” She asks still smiling.

    “Yeah, Mommy got to see the elves.” He smiles and hugs the little girl. “And she told me she will save a rose just for you.”

    He smiles and then realizes she had never said a thing about roses. He cries harder when he realizes she didn’t tell him aloud, but in her eyes.

    “Daddy?”

    “Yes, dear?”

    “Did she smile again?”

    He smiles again, “Yeah.”

    It makes him smile more thinking of his wife dancing with the elves. He can almost hear her laughter. The light crystal bell sound of her laughter. He can see her long hair sparkling in the meadow. And when he looks into his daughters eyes he can see his love there; watching him once more.

    Some where outside soft music starts to play.