Short Story Contest Entry- Untitled

The Soon to be Dead: If only I knew how to speak these words, how could I have not done it sooner? How do I share my secret, how do I explain? At least there is knowledge that I haven’t been feeling well for quite some time, but I still haven’t explained that I am dying.

Dying of cancer, soon to be dead. Dead from lesions in my head; four of them. In just twenty four hours, what have I done? I can’t let the one person I’ve spent three years with watch me suffer like this. I won’t have the one person I care most about lie by my bedside and watch me die.

The nurses that have taken care of me for the past year started crying- I suppose they thought I was going to be one of the lucky ones. They were wrong. I have to find a way to let the one I care for know, but only after it is too late for me to see the crying. I cannot take anymore sadness. For sadness has been one of two constant things in my life, the other the love in my heart.

I know now what it is I will do. I will propose a challenge. If the one I care for passes this final test, it will be too late to reverse anything. I am selfish for this- my love will only take the blame; for thinking the almost nonexistent signs in which I hid to the best of my ability was not noticed. I hold regret for doing this, but I do not need last words, tears, or the holding of my hand as I go into that goodnight. For I will be there reunited somehow. If the test is passed, I will share a secret never shared before.

At least I am not lying. I am just withholding the truth, even if my last truth is carried to my grave- literally.

The Love of the Soon to be Dead’s: My love has been acting strange for the past week’s time, very distant, quiet. I got a message with a challenge from the one I care for on this day. My challenge is not to text, contact or call for twenty-four hours. I can do this, it’s not like it is forever. When the challenge is over, promptly at ten o’clock in the morning, I am to receive the once held words of my love. I am worried, for this is a bit dramatic considering the three years we have spent together. I am probably just overreacting.

Twenty Four Hours Later: I’ve done my challenge, though more difficult than I predicted. I walked to the spot agreed to meet once I arrived at the cemetery, a bit strange since she told me once that there was only one time she wished to be here… No…No, No No. For the one word I wished to drain out of my head was the only word I can muster. No. I saw the family. They family was crying, the mother simply turned away. I don’t understand, my love lying in the coffin, cheeks still flushed with color. But lifeless. Lifeless my life now was. Gone. Dead. There was a note the mother handed. It read:

“I am sorry to go like this. On the bright side, you passed the challenge. Now do it every day. – I love you dearly, to the ends of my life. ”

No. NO. What have I done… for I have fallen inside. The family explained what has happened under my nose for the past year. It is my fault. I grew quiet, and I died that day.