A Better Day

"Stay with me!" a frantic but distorted voice was screaming.

"Grab the defib!" another more faint and hollowing voice shouted.

I tried to open my eyes, I tried with every inch of willpower and might to move my legs, but there was nothing, I can hear the panic around me, The hollow and eerie weeping and crying. All I can see is a ghostly white, my body won't move my eyes won't open, I don't know if this is real or if I'm lost in a nightmare, trying to wake myself up, all I know is it hurts, from the very top of my head to the tips of my toes, is an unbearable agony I have never felt before. Everything around me is fading slowly the voices are slowly getting more silent, the beeping is slowly moving further and further away until nothing, the white haunting light is getting shrouded in a darkness. "You've got to hang in there and stay with us!" was the last final cry I heard before the lights went out, and everything around me felt fuzzy and my body felt weightless, like I was floating through an anti gravity chamber.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY MY BABY BOY" a soft but familiar voice shouted as I opened my eyes. My eyes finally opened, I had to take in my surroundings, I was in a small bed, with crisp new smelling superhero bedding, My head was resting on one small fluffy pillow and the walls were decorated in vibrantly coloured wallpaper with posters and stickers of my favourite childhood super heroes. The scent of a raspberry ripple welcomed my senses, followed by the sweetest cherry scent, a scent that felt like home. Stood at the door was a woman that was very familiar, but impossible, She had shoulder length strawberry blonde hair, her eyes were a crystal blue, and as she stared at me It felt like she was piercing my soul with kindness. I started sobbing, as I yelped "MOM?", before I passed out, and it went dark again. The impossible thing was, she had passed away after my ninth birthday.

"HE'S LOSING TOO MUCH BLOOD!" a voice bellowed, yet still distorted like an old static tv programme. I tried to open my eyes again, but nothing, I tried to call out for my mother, But no reply, no soft voice wishing my happy birthday, I must be dreaming, I need to wake up. As I tried to force my consciousness to take control again, my body felt like it was being pushed through a meat grinder, but my mind is numb, my head is still floating with the clouds. I could hear a door slam and within seconds I heard roaring sirens echoing in my head and piercing my skull as if somebody was trying to drill a hole in the side of my head. My arm feels like it is wrapped in a nettle bush, short sharp tingly pains. I can hear faint chatter, it feels like I'm on the third story trying to listen down to a conversation on the ground floor, but I know it's closer, very close, I can feel it. Suddenly a beeping, started getting faster and louder and more intense, and that's where my head started going dead, A gloomy darkness started filling my head again, the sounds got further away and the chatter stopped until there was nothing.

I started to feel again, I started to smell the same familiar scent of Raspberry ripple and cookies, the same sweet cherry scent my mother used to wear. I opened my eyes slowly and carefully, the blinding light above me soon faded, and my first image was the same beautiful woman leant over me with tears racing down her face, her nose was covered in snot, and she was praying hopelessly. I stared at her in disbelief as she was in a state of devastation, not realising my eyes were open before, "I love you mommy" slipped out of my mouth without control. Before I could assess the situation and what happened I was scooped up into an imprisoning embrace, getting covered in snot and tears as my mother tried to get words out which sounded more like I was watching a foreign movie and needed subtitles. I remember this day, it was my ninth birthday and my mother organised a surprise party, But I got too excited and fell down the stairs and knocked myself out, fun times.

"Happy birthday to you, Happy birthday to you!" Was being cheered from the dining room almost sounded like a choir. As my mother guided me through I recognised the faces almost instantly, stood around a table all smiling and laughing was all my childhood friends, My body felt warm and I felt happy, I was staring at each person that carried me through my childhood, each up and down, each fight and even Sara was there, the girl that broke my heart in high school. They all hugged me and gave me their colourful, messy hand made cards, which I thought was adorable, they each had a little gift probably from the dollar store, but their the best gifts I've ever had. In the centre of the table sat the largest birthday cake I've ever seen. The cake was about eighteen inches in diameter, three generous layers of milk, dark and white chocolate and decorated in delightful chocolate swirls and topped with a gooey liquid chocolate drizzle, I remember this day, A cold shiver creeps its way down my spine, the hairs stand up in perfect harmony all over my body. This was the last time I'd had a birthday cake, the last day I had with my mother, the last happy memory before my childhood went downhill.

The party and gift wrapping continued for hours, we played numerous party games including musical chairs, pass the parcel and the atmosphere was unbeatable, children laughed and taunted each other playfully, I had a stack of gifts that towered over me, my mother was sat in the corner watching and smiling but not getting involved with our play time. I stared over at her, took in the beauty, the fairness of her skin and the glisten of her hair, I watched how she watched us, the way she cared about every one of us and how much she loved me, I could feel it with just one look. I sighed and just took in the moment, I forgot about everything, And just lived in the moment, that moment.

After what seemed like forever, I felt my head going dizzy, my body didn't feel like my own and it felt like I was walking on a carpet of clouds, My body was starting to hurt again, and I started hearing haunting voices which weren't in the room, "am I waking up?" I thought silently. Before it all went dark, I started crying, I frantically ran over to my mother, I held her as tight as I could, I didn't want to let go, I never wanted to let go, As she started disappearing I screamed " I LOVE YOU!" as loud as I could. She was gone, my friends were gone, even Sara was gone, my body was in pain again, Voices started chatting more clearly, there was a constant but steady beeping, and I could feel again, my toes, my fingers and even my head.

"He's going to be okay, he should wake up soon" A stern but official voice said.