He sits and waits for a sound, a touch, anything to symbolize his desire, his need to live again. He wants to thrive on happiness and cheerfulness… but, now, he cant even escape his own mind. And that is how it shall always be. As time went by, the disease grew stronger.


Swallowing became more and more difficult each day, and soon enough, he wouldn’t be able to swallow at all. Aspiration. Never being able to feel the texture of food again. The aroma it gave off, and the taste. All gone. Hunger began to develop. Surgery had to be done. A tube that feeds him through his stomach. What a life.


He had to use the bathroom. The feeling deep in the pit of his stomach couldn’t help but to resist the desire to go. But it never happened. The days flew and he still hadn’t gone to the bathroom. Stomachaches began to develop slowly. More and more medicine every day. Soon, his abdominal organs began to shut down, slowly, slowly.


His name, being called in the distance. He knew it was there. Who was this person in front of him? An angel? A god? He did not question himself any longer for his brain ached of curiosity. It was his wife, sobbing above his bedside praying and pleading the lord to bring her one and only love back. He stared at her unknowingly. For all she knew he was in this trance of memory. Not being able to receive them back. He heard it…


Tonight, he received an oxygen tube. Bubbling noises and gas pumping. His lungs felt as if an elephant were pounding through. He listened, but couldn’t comprehend what was going on. Deep breaths began to develop. His mouth began to swell up and get dry. The scent of lemon and the taste began to fill up his mind. The desire to swallow lost in its tracks and, choking, aspiration. The desire prevailed his mind at a flash.


His breathing getting heavy, eyes coming to a close. He knew that this was it. It was his time. He took a glance at the nurse, and then thought to himself for a moment. And that moment, he thought of how upset and devastated his family would be. But then again, he was in so much pain, so much agony. They would have wanted him to rest. And he would do so. As his mind began to slow, his breathing becoming shallow, and then, one last breath… I love you.