Facing the Truth

He sits slumped down into the chair that is stationed next to the phone; he stares at its gleaming black surface, silent and relentless.

He drifts in and out of awareness as he goes over every possible scenario in his mind. Finally the phones wail proclaims that he will soon be provided with an answer to the question that has been gnawing at the edge of his every thought for two months.

At first the only obstacle in his otherwise normal life was the sudden absence of his ability to focus his vision on the smallest of things. Letters began to blur together then faces. His first response to this problem had been that the threat of old age had crept upon him.

But then came the headaches that filled him with merciless pain, he became bed ridden and soon was transferred to a hospital.

He underwent what seemed like hundreds upon thousands of different tests, but now he was faced with the result.
With a trembling hand he retrieves the receiver from its perch, instantly silencing the phones cry.

He brings it to his ear and beads of sweat appear on his forehead. As he listens without a word he grips the receiver so tightly that his knuckles flush white. Suddenly he mumbles the word “goodbye” and the receiver falls swiftly from his hand.

Time seems to stop all focus is blurred; the receiver is still as if while plunging to the ground below, it suddenly is stopped and no gravity exists. Words fly within his brain, words he tries to eliminate as he slams his eyes shut and runs out of his house, feeling suddenly short of breath.

He collapses and feels the cold, hard surface of the pavement materialize too quickly beneath him, large tears leave paths on his face as they fall silently to the ground, he cant remember the last time he smiled and cant imagine when he ever will get the chance to again, devastation roll over him in waves and still the words don’t leave his mind…..pain, suffering, loss, then the most devastating of all words slinks slowly into view clearer than all the other words.

His head drops into his hands as he sees the word through his minds eyes and it comes to life as it slides off his tongue “cancer”.