A fictional story by Charles Waybright
The date was November, November 17, 2023. Charles walked the hallway of the second floor alone without direction nor purpose. At the end of the hallway was a small lounge with a sofa, chair, table and a statue of baby Jesus. Charles sat on the sofa directly across from the statue of baby Jesus and gently looked upon the statue with a sense of despair that hollowed his soul. Charles, too exhausted to cry, asked the baby Jesus statue “What is the plan?”. Charles carefully listened to the silence with closed eyes as tears began to stream down his face. An elderly female voice without an origin began to speak a language that was unfamiliar to Charles but somehow he was able to understand the words spoken. Charles opened his eyes and he saw an elderly woman who seemed to be there and not be there at the same time. The woman introduced herself as El Prestamista del tiempo. Charles began to cry uncontrollably because he understood what this elderly woman was offering.
Five weeks earlier Charles heard a desperate but restrained call for help from his wife Lisa. Lisa called out “Charles, CHARLES!”. He responded immediately learning his wife Lisa was in the bathroom unable to stand from the toilet. Lisa in her vulnerable state clung onto denial of the severity of the situation sitting on the toilet that held her captive. Charles doing his best to not be overwhelmed by the reality that his wife was so weak she could not stand on her own. Charles lifted her to her feet and said the obvious “We have to go to the hospital” Lisa oddly seemed a bit surprised by Charles’s blunt declaration.
By taxi Lisa and Charles arrived at the Therapeutic Novel Clinic and were immediately directed to the ER. Examinations began promptly as Charles waited and listened to the cries of a small child who broke his arm. After a couple of hours Lisa was transferred to a corner room on the first floor of the clinic and more tests and examinations continued. Two days had passed and some preliminary results were concluded. Charles, feeling relaxed after completing two CBD drinks purchased from the pharmacy across the way, was asked to step out into the hallway where in broken English he was told things no one could be prepared to hear. The two doctors with the same last name named almost every organ in Lisa’s body as they described all of the locations where tumors were found. Charles collapsed against the wall in tears holding himself up by the hand rail trying his best to maintain his composure.
The doctors asked Charles as he struggled to stay connected to reality “What do you want us to tell Lisa?” Charles had no life experience that prepared him for such a question, responding with a lie motivated by compassion “Let’s tell Lisa she has a tumor in her stomach. Only in her stomach” Charles had no idea how to respond but hastily thought he wanted to give Lisa some hope. The doctors after reentering the room told Lisa with the performance of a master thespian “We found a tumor in your stomach, only your stomach and took a biopsy that will be tested in Capital City”. We will have the results back in 10 days.
They returned home, Lisa with her erroneous based sense of hope, they carefully followed the instructions from the doctors. As Charles modified their home to accommodate Lisa in her reduced ability alone with the knowledge Lisa’s life would not be measured in years but maybe months if not weeks. A second local Doctor located in the town they lived in Ease Vile, a beautiful quiet town in the Andes mountains in a centrally located South American country. This was their dream to retire in a Spanish style cottage with their dog Spot. Charles, tortured by what he knew, did his best to care for his beloved wife Lisa carefully preparing meals for her that would go mostly uneaten. A message was sent by Dr Kuredg saying come to my office I have some news. Charles, ignoring the Doctor’s request to come at a scheduled time, came to her office early and was told the news. It was confirmed and Charles had the profoundly difficult task of telling Lisa that her life, their time together would be days, not years as one would assume.
Charles labored to walk home with the responsibility placed upon him. Entering their Spanish style cottage, saw his wife in the bedroom. Looking upon Lisa with somber eyes announced “I talked to the doctor.” Lisa asked unknowingly of the magnitude of her question “What did the doctor say?” Charles answered with the metaphoric weight of the world “Do you want to know everything?” Lisa’s sense of optimism quickly faded once hearing Charles’s response and fear permeated Lisa’s soul. Lisa responded with a simple “Yes tell me everything”. In one short sentence the room would be flooded with despair. The doctor has confirmed that you have stage 4 cancer and you only have a short amount of time to live.
With the unimaginable weight upon their hearts they retreated to what would have been normally the comfort of their sofa. Sitting side by side holding hands in a way that rekindled their love as if it was happening for the first time. Experiencing something familiar to the both of them but feeling very new. They found themselves falling in love again listening to all of their special songs knowing this moment was very special. A moment so limited by time left to live. Only if somehow time could be extended.
They would spend a week in the most luxurious hotel in town complete with swimming pools, spas and 5 star restaurant. Charles was not oblivious to Lisa’s rapidly deteriorating condition and made certain Lisa was scheduled for the best massage the local resort offered. Checkin day Lisa was no longer able to walk and was wheeled to her room in her newly purchased wheelchair. From the technique learned at the clinic a few weeks ago Charles lifted Lisa onto the waiting massage bed that greeted them as they entered their colonial style suite. Lisa drifted off to a pleasant sleep as they wrapped parts of her body with comfortably heated towels and gently massaged her worldly concerns away. Comfort would not be a word that describes Lisas’s condition in the next coming few weeks. Not being much of a luxury experience the next several days Lisa confined to the wheelchair staring out the large window surrounding her small dining table watching an occasional peacock stroll by as her condition declined, requiring a return to the clinic.
Back at the Clinic more of the same poking and prodding but this time attached to every part of what was Lisa’s purplish bruised body was a small forest of equipment. Beeping things, flowing things siphoning things donated life flowed into various veins keeping Lisa alive helping her breathe. Life, now measured in days and hours, Lisa confined to the mechanically adjustable bed. Lisa would have a moment of escape, not from the reality of eminent demise nor the attached devices that kept her alive but escape her cognitive reality. A stylistic surreal drawing of a couple handsome and stoic hauntedly titled “Life doesn’t turn out this way” she drew. There would be days, 14 total at the clinic that Charles would balance a life: 2 hours of sleep, taxi trips home to feed Spot and every other waking moment spent by Lisa’s bedside all the while traveling down the dark tunnel lacking the anticipated luminous at the end.
Lisa’s reality would be fogged by delusional thoughts following a poisoning known as the cancer treatment chemotherapy. Lisa would speak of plots and notes that made her the main character in a story of espionage full of foil and deception despite the loving and diligent around the clock care Lisa received. Nurses and doctors would surround Lisa’s bed as they spoke about her condition. Dedicated staff would comfort Lisa as they held her hand, washed her body and stayed the night in her room addressing any needs but none of this would stop the day from coming, the day that would be forever known as November 17, 2023.
November 17………………………………. Yes November 17 the day had arrived. Charles would make his last trip to the clinic, spend his last day by Lisa’s bedside, hold Lisa’s hand one last time. He arrived early after returning home to feed their dog. Lisa was moved to the second floor alone with two dedicated staff and now her husband. Charles went into the large room with one bed that cradled Lisa’s body as she lay motionless in bed. Charles approached and positioned a chair next to her, held her hand and stroked her arm Lisa sleeping did not respond. Charles played their special song by Great Big World “Already Home” A song in the days after Lisa passed would relay the message that “When you’re scared and alone just know that I’m already home”. Lisa with what little strength she had opened her eyes, extended her hand and gently touched Charles’s face now flowing with tears. The 10 year anniversary from their first date and Lisa’s birthday would have been in a few months but there is no way of borrowing time Charles thought just a little time to enjoy those days.
You know what happened next. Charles’s journey, Charles’s desperate journey into the hallway looking for answers looking for help praying to the statue of baby Jesus. The mysterious shawoman who introduced herself as El Prestamista del tiempo made him the offer he prayed for. She spoke describing the terms of the borrowed time. “The few months that you have prayed for can be but this loan does not come without terms. You may think they are severe but there is no negotiation. Upon the date of Lisa’s birthday one minute after midnight I will collect Lisa’s soul and you will be stripped of everything and everyone who ever knew you. You will live alone with nothing for the rest of your life” Charles without thought or hesitation accepted the terms. In some sort of way, a most peculiar way, the prayer that Charles so desperately hoped was answered.
Charles returned to Lisa’s room where he left her only with a few hours to live not knowing what to expect. Lisa was awake, eyes open with the familiar beautiful smile that could brighten a room. Lisa said “Bear” Lisa lovingly called Charles Polar Bear because of his fondness of the cold. “Bear please help me sit up” Charles pulled back the blankets and repositioned Lisa’s leg and torso putting her in a sitting position. “Bear help me stand. I think I can stand.” That evening late in the evening, shocking all of the staff at the clinic Lisa’s heart filled with joy walked out holding Charles’s hand.
They returned home, Lisa believing she experienced a miracle, yes in a way she had but. Charles knew alone like before he knew alone that Lisa’s life was still very limited not in terms of days but months. Charles thought the elderly woman who appeared, the lender of time, looked indigenous of local origin connected somehow to the surrounding communities. Charles with his desperate thoughts believed maybe there was a way to out run the will of God. The days to follow Charles detailed his purposeful plan in his head telling no one. Life once again became routine as if none of it happened. A week before her birthday Charles surprised Lisa with a special trip back to the United States to Las Vegas where many of Lisa’s family lived. They would stay at the largest hotel on the strip in a beautiful room. They would eat wonderful food, visit relatives, watch big production shows and dance every time they heard music. It felt like they would never stop smiling. Life was as good as it could possibly be.
The day had come. It was Lisa’s birthday which also coincided with their anniversary. A big celebration was planned. Friends and family attended. So many showed, traveling from great distances. Some who they had not seen in a very long time. Everyone greeted Lisa with such a love that was pure. So many kind words were said Lisa’s smile glowed. The evening was perfect. The celebration that Charles dreamed of. The celebration that Lisa deserved. Surrounded by all of the people that were so important to her. But then the panic set in. Charles thought being in another country in such a crowded room with so many people around that El Prestamista would not be able to find Lisa and collect her soul. As the minutes passed Charles anxiously looked around the room looking for any evidence of El Prestamista. As the minutes ran out Charles grabbed Lisa’s hand and told her please come with me. Charles aggressively pulled at Lisa’s hand that he held very tightly. Soon they were running and Lisa did not know why. They fled the casino towards the Las Vegas strip. Charles did not know what to do but kept on running and then he felt nothing. His hand was empty. He looked back and Lisa was gone. He fell to the sidewalk and no one noticed. Charles was alone with nothing and no one knew who he was. The loan had been paid in full.
