Below is a short story contributed by one of my friends on Facebook:
THE WAKE
by Dex Amoroso
Dex was taken to the hospital after a work accident that left him with difficulty breathing and aching body. He was admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) and received mechanical ventilation.
Three days later he felt a bit well and talked to the doctor who visited and examined his current condition.
"Doc, I've been here in the hospital for three days, I miss my children. Can you allow them to visit me?", Dex asked.
"Sorry sir, but the children are not allowed to visit here in the patient care area. That is part of the health protocol during the pandemic", the doctor replied.
Past 7p.m., it was dark outside and there was no nurse in his room. He took the opportunity to escape the hospital. He climbed out the window and jumped.
He burst with excitement when he got out of the hospital fence.
As he approached their house, he saw many lights. When he got closer, he was surprised because there were many people outside. There were tables, some people drinking and others playing cards.
The first person he met was his wife.
"Jen, how are you? Where are the two kids?" Why are so many people at home? What is the occasion?", he asked.
Jen's face was incredibly sad, and she ignored him.
He was confounded to see his mother and two siblings in their house.
"Good, you're all here at home. When did you arrive? How are you, Ma? We haven't seen each other in a long time.", Dex told them.
He felt bumped out after his mother and two siblings ignored him.
"I just got back from the hospital. My head and body still hurt because I am not well yet. I got out of the hospital because I ran away. Don't any of you want to talk to me?" he asked in an obviously disgusted voice.
After a while he heard the sweet voices of his two sons as the two played inside the room. He opened the door and grinned from ear to ear when he saw the two.
"How are my two little boys that Daddy loves so much?", he asked.
When the two children did not respond, he had a sinking feeling that something was not right.
Suddenly he felt severe body pain, so he went straight to the living room to lie down on the sofa.
As he slowly walked towards the living room, he met Liber, a stray dog he took care of.
"How are you, Liber boy?" he asked.
"Arf, arf, arf", the dog barked and wagged his tail.
"Finally, a dog noticed me." he said to himself in his mind.
When he sat down on the sofa he saw a casket. His blood ran cold and he stood up again.
He saw a poster with a text and a picture of him and it read, "In Loving Memory of Dexter Amoroso".
He was scared out of his wits when he approached the coffin and looked up and saw himself lying inside.
“Why is my body inside the coffin while I'm here outside?", He asked.
THE END
