The beeping was an intense, continuous background noise. I tried to focus on it, desperately trying to make the time between each beep take just a moment longer, to make more time out of moments. Watching the clock at the end of the day always took ages, why couldn’t this moment do the same? I finally gave up and focused my gaze upon the man in the bed. I recalled when he was the biggest figure in my life, teaching me how to ride a bike and be thankful for everything I had.
My father was so frail now, a skeleton compared to the man he had been. I tried to hold back the tears as he turned his head to look at me. The family shifted their gaze just for a moment and I tried to think of what I was sure would be the last thing he heard.
“Dad, momma’s waiting at the crossroads for you,” I said, my eyes welling with tears as I held his hand. His face was taken over by the biggest smile I’d ever seen and the moment between the beeps finally took an eternity each. Then the moment was forever gone.
MrZakGuy 