You thought

You thought. by Loki

The time now is 3:45 PM. Your entire body is aching. You sit on the living room couch, unable to move without excruciating pain in your knees. You think your 36-hour shift in the hospital made you feel this.

The time now is 4:37 PM. You're still on the living room couch, staring at the wall ahead, laden with picture frames. The wall isn't that far yet your eyes couldn't make out the faces in the photos.

The time now is 4:39 PM. You snicker at yourself. You are only 37 yet you feel so old. You shifted positions on the couch but didn't get up yet. The time now is 4:53 PM. You think about your last hospital shift. A small boy, no taller than three feet, at the age of six has just been released from hospital admission due to leukemia. Before he left, the child held both of your hands and thanked you. His eyes sparkled and his uneven dimples showed up ‐ the dimple on his right cheek slightly higher than the one on his left. The boy's simple 'thank you' cured your fatigue. The time now is 5:28 PM. You yawn. The time now is 5:29 PM. You decide to get up. You try. Your knees are killing you. You sit back down. The time now is 5:30 PM. Your husband enters the living room and he helps you stand up. Something feels off. The time now is 5:32 PM. You look at him. He smiles at you. ''Diin ka makadto, 'la?'' he asks.