A Soul For A Soul

Andrew Cannon, an oncologist at Perryville Medical Center, sits at his desk in silence as he overhears a conversation between two employees in the break room.

"Nadia, something big is about to happen. Something unlike anything anyone has ever seen before. Something catastrophic. I don't know, I can sense things, you know?"

"Andrea, if we hadn't grown up together I might actually think you're insane," Nadia laughs. "You and your 'energies'... I swear, I can't with you."

"Nadia, my intuition saved you from going out with that dude who turned out to be a murderer, didn't it? It could have been you they found dead and naked in his bathtub. You could have had all those stab wounds."

"Ha-ha, very funny," Nadia snickers.

"And I had that vision," Andrea replies. "I had that vision that Georgia's cat was gonna die - I had no way of knowing that, but she died, didn't she? I'm just saying… Be aware of your surroundings at all times, Nadia. That's all I'm saying."

Andrew lets out a sigh. "Scrub techs," he growls to himself, slamming his MacBook closed as he readies himself to check in on a recent admit to the oncology department.

"Patient Bill Smith," Dr. Cannon says to himself "Nice name. Original," he smirks, rolling his eyes. "It's go-time," he says.

"Bill Smith," the doctor calls out as he enters Bill's room.

There is not a word, a twitch, or a blink of an eye.

"Bill Smith," the doctor calls again. "Do you want to tell me why you're here?"

Bill does not say a word.

"That's okay," Andrew murmurs. "I know why you're here."

Bill lays emotionless in bed as if he doesn't notice the doctor's presence at all.

The doctor lets out a sigh and walks across the room, stopping to sit in the windowsill. He enjoys gazing at the frozen pond on the edge of the hospital's property; it brings him peace.

That's where Dr. Cannon takes his patients to die.

"I know. You've come here to end your life, haven't you? You came here to have some alone time with the doctor, but now that you're here you're getting cold feet. Why?"

Still nothing.

"That's okay. I'll step out for dinner and when I come back we'll try again, okay?"

Dr. Cannon steps out of the room and retreats back to his office. "Finally," he whispers. "A quick dinner and then we'll get started. I know she is anxiously awaiting our arrival," he thinks to himself.

The doctor hurries his eating as he realizes the sun is just beginning to set; it's the perfect time.

He swiftly strides down the hallway, entering Bill's room. "Have you thought about it?" the doctor asks, smiling.

Bill turns to look at Andrew, finally opening his mouth to speak.

"Have I thought about what? Oh, yeah. My assisted suicide."

The doctor looks to the floor, his lips slightly curling up into a shy smile.

"Is that how you look at it?" Andrew asks.

"Isn't that what it is?"

The doctor pauses. "But it's what you want, isn't it?"

"Precisely," Bill responds.

"Okay," the doctor says, clearing his throat. "Well, let's get started then. Any thoughts or concerns?"

"Well, you're not gonna eat me are ya, doc?"

Dr. Cannon laughs. "No, Bill. I do not plan to eat you."

"Then let's get to it," Bill chuckles. "Hand me my coat.”

The doctor grabs Bill's coat and wheelchair before wheeling him out the door and down the hallway towards the exit.

"Where's your coat, doctor?"

"Oh, I'm fine. I really enjoy the cold. It's… refreshing."

"Huh," Bill murmurs.

"Kate," the doctor hollers. "When we return from my therapy session, Bill here will be a new man."

Kate, the oncology receptionist, responds with "I know that's the truth, doctor. I don't know what kind of magic you've got inside of you, but you're a godlike man. He's sure lucky to be your patient."

"I wanna be his patient," Nadia, the scrub tech says to Kate from behind the front desk. "He's hot." The girls giggle together as Andrew overhears their exchange.

He looks back at the girls, flashing his perfect white teeth as he and Bill exit the building.

Dr. Cannon installed a bench by the pond to make sure that his patients' backs would face the hospital during sessions. The temperature is rarely over 15° in the winter, so Dr. Cannon rarely fears that other staff will come outside.

Because of this, he only schedules therapy during what he calls "winter sessions". He claims that the cold temperatures are part of what helps with the healing process.

Andrew and Bill join each other on the bench. "So. Any questions?" the doctor asks.

"I don't want to know how, doc. Just do it, I won't ask any questions. I'm tired of feeling miserable all the time," Bill pleads.

The doctor reaches down and holds Bill's left hand with his right, firmly intertwining their fingers.

"I have an offering," the doctor calls out. "Lorena, I'm here. I bring you an offering. A soul for a soul."

The ground begins to rumble and Bill squeezes the doctor's hand tightly.

"Lorena," the doctor calls. "We have an understanding, remember? I have held up my end of the deal. My people want to die and yours want to live. I bring you… a soul for a soul."

The treeline behind the pond begins to shake; the critters in the night begin to howl and screech and run wild as the doctor looks over at Bill, giving him a reassuring nod.

Lorena presents herself from several feet away and makes her way over. Her presence is almost fairy-like, her chestnut brown hair dangling past her hips and glowing like a firefly in the summertime. Her skin is pale but flawless, entrancing, and hard not to stare at.

She is not beautiful all around; she appears fairy-like but portrays the persona of a cutthroat businessman who will not hesitate to kill you and everyone you love at the drop of a hat.

Bill's jaw has dropped in a frenzy that is a combination of love at first sight and feeling absolutely petrified all at the same time.

"Wait," Bill asks. "Will anyone be able to see her from the window?"

"Don't worry," the doctor reassures him. "She has this freaky way of being able to present herself only to those she chooses."

Lorena looks at the doctor. "Cutie," she taunts. "How is your wife? Does she know about our deal?"

"No, Lorena, she doesn't know about our deal. I was willing to do whatever I had to do to be able to spend more time with her. The cancer was spreading fast."

"Ah," she chuckles. "You really love her."

"Of course I do!" he snaps back; his voice is now a growl, spoken through clenched teeth.

"Let's not waste any time," Lorena speaks, grabbing Bill by the chin.

She lets out all of her air before pressing her mouth to Bill's.

"You know you can do it without having to put your mouth on his. You're so theatrical," the doctor groans.

Lorena smiles, her mouth still pressed to Bill's open lips. She begins to inhale slowly, and as she does so Bill turns more blue, more limp. Bill's eyes grow wide as he makes eye contact with Lorena while she literally sucks the life out of him.

When she is finished inhaling Bill slouches over, collapsing down onto Andrew's lap.

Lorena puts her hands on Bill's shoulders, sitting him back up straight. She inhales deep and presses her lips back to Bill's lips, this time exhaling into his mouth.

Bill's color slowly turns more flesh toned as opposed to blue, and his body grows back to its normal plump shape now that she has breathed a new life into him. Bill comes to, his eyes lighting up with excitement.

"A soul for a soul," Lorena says.

"Andrew, this is Ian," she says, pointing to Bill's body. "He died when he was only 32. Bill's soul is free now as he wanted, and now Ian's soul can have a second chance to experience life again. With this trade, there is no more cancer or illness in Ian's host body. He is healthy." The doctor notices that his body looks visibly refreshed.

"Ian, because you are being granted a second chance at life you must abide by the rules. You can go off and do your own thing if you wish, but only after you present yourself to Bill's family so they can have peace of mind believing that he is healed and healthy. Once they are convinced that their loved one can safely be independent, you are free to roam the world as you wish. You will not get a third chance at life."

Ian nods.

"Let's go in, I want to go home to my wife," the doctor says. They leave the wheelchair behind. As they enter the building, applause breaks out all around the reception desk.

"We'll have to run all the scans of course to be sure, but I have a feeling that our therapy session worked. Bill should be cancer-free," the doctor shares.

Cheers erupt as the oncology team rallies around Bill, now Ian. The pair walk back to Bill's old room.

"You'll have to stay here for another day or two to let the team see for themselves that you are not sick, and then they will discharge you home to Bill's family. It should be easy from there. I wish you the best of luck," the doctor says.

"Thanks, doctor," Ian remarks. "Thank you so much."

The doctor walks back to his office, feeling the need to unwind before going home. He decides to journal.

I never take patients to the pond without their consent. Still, I wonder if I am a bad person for doing what I do.

The souls that Lorena has to offer are only souls who will not cause harm in our world. Sometimes I wish I could tell Lorena that I never want to see her again - but I can never forget the night it all started.

My Lilly's lung cancer was eating her alive. I brought her to the hospital so I could keep an eye on her, but one day she ripped her IV out and ran outside. The sun had set and it was dark, but I followed Lilly's angelic voice to the pond where I found a woman, Lorena, kneeling over Lilly on the ground.

"Stop!" I hollered. "Who are you?" That was my first encounter with Lorena, who without my wife's consent, was trying to trade Lilly's soul for another.

When I learned what Lorena was trying to do, I was desperate. "Please, God! I'll do anything! I'll do anything in the world! Please don't take my precious Lilly! I know she doesn't have much time left, but please don't take her away from me! I'm begging you!" I was choking on my tears.

Lorena suggested that if I could commit to trading 10 souls a year, she would let Lilly and me be together. But if I couldn't provide 10 souls a year, she would come for Lilly and there would be nothing I could do.

I know our time is limited, and it's a miracle that Lilly has survived three years so far since that night. And fortunately for me, Lilly was only half conscious during the interaction, so I convinced her that most of what she remembered about that night was dream.

But I'm at a constant war with myself, wondering all the time if I'm a terrible person for leading my patients to their death - even if it's what they want - all because I want more time with my wife?

I do know one thing for certain… when Lilly dies, I will helplessly plead for Lorena to trade my soul for another. I will not exist in a world without my beautiful flower.