TIME AFTER TIME
She floated just below the ceiling, in and out among the bright lights, intent on the scene below. A woman lay on the table, a broken rag doll covered in blood and surrounded by men and women clothed in green. They wore green caps and masks. Their hands were encased in rubber gloves. They inserted needles into the woman's hands, attached them to tubes that ran from suspended bottles. They placed a mask over her face. Two of them cut away her clothing, lifted and ripped it from her body.
She drifted down for a closer look. One of the men gave orders in a quick, staccato voice. She could hear the sound but the words escaped her.
What are they doing? She wondered. That's not me. Can't they see I'm up here?
Confused, impatient, she willed herself away through silent white corridors to a lighted room where a woman sat behind a desk. There were people seated on upholstered chairs, tables with magazines. On a long table in the far corner were a coffee urn, Styrofoam cups, containers of artificial sweeteners, creamers, and little plastic stirrers. She examined the people and was surprised to see her parents. Her mother sat in an erect position, her spine in a straight line. Her eyes stared into space. Her father was bent forward, head in hands in an attitude of prayer. And, HE was there. Edward was there. His hands leafed through the pages of a back issue of Time.
She was drawn from the room by a powerful force. She heard the sound of moans. There was a weight on her chest. She tried to push it away but her hands refused to obey. She felt a noise resound, reverberate through her head. She began to fly through a long dark tunnel. She heard the urgent voice of the nurse, "Code Blue! Code Blue!"
There was a pinpoint of light ahead. She was propelled faster as the light grew in intensity. She felt free, joyous. A voice commanded, "Go back, Veronica, it is not time."
She heard HIS voice, "Is she going to make it? What's the prognosis?"
Fear encompassed her.
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