The Act of Dying is One of the Acts of Life 

- Marcus Aurelius

The last thing Kate ate was a ham sandwich. Nothing special, just a piece of meat and swiss slapped between two halves of a bun from a deli on 4th Ave. She opted out of the mayo, trying to keep her figure trim for the college regional cheer off next month. Had Kate known that would be her last meal she would have said yes to the fucking mayonnaise! Well, too late now I suppose, she mused looking down at her own serene reflection. The only reason she even remembered the last thing she ate was because that's what the nurse had asked, right before she died.

***

The waiting room was hot, ceiling fans hummed above her swirling around the sticky Carolina air. It was an unusual sweltering November, even with the windows open. Michael Jackson's Thriller video blared from a TV in the corner. It was on its second week as a chart topper and already she was sick of it. Her cheer squad had insisted they learn the dance to incorporate it into their routine. What a pain.

"Kate Eyre?" The voice of a stout older nurse echoed in the waiting room, breaking her away from her thoughts.

"It's pronounced Air," she mumbled retorting to years of correcting teachers on pronouncing her last name. Wait that's me!

"Here!" she stood up raising her hand reflexively. The nurse looked up from her clipboard, adjusted her cap and gave a curt nod to follow. Well, she seems nice.

Kate turned to her mom and gave her bravest smile.

"I'll be right here when you wake up sweetie," she squeezed her mother's hands, pausing to feel the warmth of her touch before letting go. Kate nodded, swallowing hard and turned to follow the nurse.

The bed wasn't particularly comfortable she deduced, after having given it few good finger prods before sitting down. She flinched at the cold metal as the nurse placed the monitor pads on her chest and arms. The thin, paper like hospital gown did little to provide any warmth.

"I'm going to administer the anesthetic," the nurse informed, turning her back to prep a syringe. She could hear her heart beating a little louder, the beeps on the monitor quickening their pace.

"Now you're going to feel a small prick," the nurse placed her fingers on the girls arm ,feeling for a vein. Kate nodded in response, clenching her teeth.

"Are you nervous?" She chuckled hovering the needle above Kate's arm. Yes, you stupid lady do you not see the sweat coming off my forehead right now?! She wanted to yell, but kept her mouth shut and gave a small nod.

"Don't worry we do this procedure all the time." She reassured, like it was just another day at the office. "Okay deep breath."

Kate sucked in feeling the pinch as the needle slid into her skin.

"Good girl." She pumped the anesthetic in.

"Now can you try and tell me what you ate yesterday?"

"What I ate? Ummm..." what was it? She could feel the drug taking effect, dulling her senses.

Kate remembered the little bell ringing as she had walked in the deli. Oh yeah, ham sandwich.

She tried to open her mouth to reply, but it was too late the drug had taken her, dragging her down into to a deep sleep.Stupid nurse.

***

Visions of shapes and colours swirled in her mind spinning in intricate patterns faster and faster pulling her forward. She reached her arms out, stretching further, trying to dip her fingers in the vibrant light dancing ahead. Voices floated around her.

"Welcome, welcome," they sang. Glowing eyes twirled in her head.

All of a sudden she was staring at herself. She was a child, giggling as her father spun her around in the living room faster and faster. Time flashed to her youth, her first kiss out behind the bleachers, all the sleepovers at her best friend's house the cuddles and late night talks. She could see her whole life laid out and felt a sense of peace. It wasn't the best life but it was her life.

The dream launched her in front of a massive gate with circles spinning in intricate patterns of glowing blue light.

She heard voices.

"Welcome, welcome" they sang. Glowing eyes danced in her head.

"You shouldn't be here" One of them sang.

"Welcome, welcome" the others chimed, filling her head with colour and song.

The spinning grew faster and faster, she stepped towards the swirling circles but no sooner had she moved that the spinning stopped. The blue light grew dim. The singing had died down and the gate seemed to dissolve away into white space.There was a flash and then darkness.

Her body lay floating in an ocean of inky black. Suspended in nothingness, still and quiet. She could feel water rippling around her as she butterflied her arms and legs gliding through the empty cool bliss. A voice whispered in her ear in the dark. "Come Beautiful one." It was her mother's voice. "Come child, come to me."

The voice was calling her. She could feel herself waking, eyes fluttering behind her lids.

Slowly shapes started to form becoming clearer as her eyes opened. She saw the end of the hospital bed and her bare feet sticking out from under the sheet. That was a fucked up dream. She blinked rapidly trying to rid herself of the strange visions, pieces of of it still dancing in her head.

"Wake up little one." A pair of green eyes peered down at her attached to a floppy grin.

Kate moaned at the offending voice, rubbing her eyes to coax them awake. What kind of nurses do they hire here? She was expecting the full-on slaughter of pain as she woke from her surgery, but there was none. In fact, she felt nothing at all, not the rise and fall of her chest nor her heartbeat, nothing. It was the strangest sensation. I guess the drug hasn't worn off yet, she sat up, swinging her legs to the side of the bed, surprised at her body's quick response.

"Whoa take it easy" the mystery man stepped back giving her room as she tried to stand. She felt so light.

Her hands went immediately to her belly looking for the scar only to find they went right through her. What the...?

"Now don't freak out" the man tried to reach out to her. Kate whirled around to look at the hospital bed where her body laid, peaceful and still. What is happening?!

"What the hell?!" She turned her attention to the man now, he seemed to be the only person in the room who knew what was going on.

He wore black pants and a fitted v neck shirt from which a pair of white wings shifted restlessly on his back and a concerned pair of green eyes gazed at her beneath tousled blonde hair.

He put his hands up "Please don't freak out".

"Am I..?" she stopped afraid to finish her sentence.

He finished it for her.

"Yes, you're dead."

Kate took one more dumbfounded look at him, back at her own translucent hands and then made a beeline for the door.

"We got a runaway, great just great!" his voice echoed after her down the hall. 

***

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Thank you for Taking the Time to get lost in this tale with me <3

~Miss Foxx