FALLING
Kathleen Oakes 

It’s early morning in the emergency department
But time doesn’t matter here
Harsh fluorescent lights glow and machines beep beep beep
Relentlessly
Neatly tucked in, he looks up as we pull back the curtain
A&O x1, he states his name and smiles
He sips water, praises the artwork on the wall
Slowly he falls back asleep, snoring softly
The doctors turn to the computer
I’m left watching him
A string of beeps stands out from the din
But it can’t be real
Falling, falling, falling
55, 27, 0
I speak up
No words come out
I try again
A whispered plea emerges
The doctors turn to him
I hold my breath
His face turns pale, the blood falls out of his veins
I am floating above the room
The beeping fades, the lights dim
Now I am falling, falling, falling
I crash back to the ground
The doctor leans over, rubs his chest, says “sir?”
He grunts grumbles coughs
His face flushes
He blinks, blinks, opens his eyes
Looks around at our startled expressions
As if thinking “why did you wake me?”
I exhale