It's Never Late by Keyla (best fiction books of all time TXT) 📕

The dimly-lit corridor was damp and empty. The sound of my footsteps echoed creepily. As I walked on, I didn’t know where this dark path took me. I couldn’t see much further ahead. I knew I was supposed to be scared, but I wasn’t.

And as I traipsed on, a double door came into sight out of nowhere. I wasn’t sure whether the door was already there or it emerged as I came close. Nonetheless, I walked through it, as if some unknown force was guiding me along. The pearly white door looked heavenly in this dark and dirty place. It gave out an ethereal aura. I crossed the threshold hoping to enter into a warm and welcoming place.

But what I entered into was a hospital ward. Where did this come from? Anyone walking in that dark passage would not think that it led to a fine and comfortable looking hospital room. There was about half-a-dozen beds, all covered in white bedspreads. All of them were occupied by people, patients I guess. The nightstands, the bed lamps, the floor, and the walls, everything was white. It seemed like the entire place was built of bright white light. There was no trace of another living soul except for the patients, all of whom seemed to be fast asleep.

As I stood there, wondering who in there right mind would build a luxurious hospital ward in a cold, dark place like this which painted all kind of horrible images, something caught my attention.

I couldn’t really make out what it was. A patient? From the elevated chest and long hair I deduced that it was a female. Her face partially covered by her bright red hair which lay in beautiful curls around her face. Her head stood out like flame in this absolute whiteness. Unconsciously, unbeknownst to me, I drew closer to the bed at the far corner of the room, as though drifting in space. As I got closer and closer, the woman’s’ face seemed very familiar. I had seen her before but I couldn’t remember where. Perplexed I got even closer to the bed and gently lifted that red curls covering her face…and saw her…

My world turned upside down. I stood there rooted to the spot, thunder-struck. I couldn’t move. This was not true. It was bound to be a hallucination. But it wasn’t. As realization hit, I found my voice and let out a yell that was enough to wake the dead.

“Moooooooooooooooom…….”

It was my mother. It was my beloved, my dearest, my wonderful mother. How did this happen? How did she die? No, I couldn’t believe it. I couldn’t believe that she was gone. Gone forever!

Then looking around, I realized that all of the other beds around me were occupied by corpses. What was going on? Why would anyone lay dead bodies in a hospital room, instead of a morgue. I couldn’t make head nor tail of it. All was a confused blur. Most of all I couldn’t understand how my mother died. Yesterday she was there, real and solid as she could possibly be. Yet here she was deathly pale and icy cold. She was definitely dead.

My heart bled. “Oh! Mother…my dear, dear mother…” I cried. I cried and cried, I wept as hard as I could. I cried my heart out. I cried until my eyes were dry. I cried until there were no tears left to cry.

“Tina…Tina dear…wake up. Breakfast is ready.” I heard my mother’s voice calling me from a far, far away place.

“Tina...” she called again.

I opened my eyes. I was staring into the ceiling. I blinked and looked around. I was lying in my bed safe and sound, but soggy with sweat.

Then I realized that it was a dream. Oh! Thank God! Just a stupid dream. It had been very real. Just as I pulled myself together, my bedroom door opened and my mother stood there in the doorway, with a stern look in her face. Relief washed over me.

For me she looked like the angel from heavens. Looking at her face, her beautiful face, her bright red hair pulled up in a tight bun; I realized for the first time how much I loved her. I got out of bed and walked straight to my mother and hugged her tightly. She hugged me back.

“Tina…what is it?” she asked.

“Nothing, I just wanted to tell you that I love you Mom. I love you so much.” I said, hugging her even more tightly.

Standing there, resting my head on her chest, I felt like it was the safest place in the world. The most loving and beautiful place there could ever be.

“I love you too Tina. But you’re getting late for school.” Said my mother.

“Yeah, but it’s never late to say that I love you, Mom" I said smiling.

Publication Date: 10-31-2011

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