It’s Time

Stephen, frail and sick in hospice, stared at the puffy blue swirling cloud. It had a peaceful presence and it took away his fear of death.

With tubes hooked up to his arms and unable to speak because of his organs shutting down, he struggled within, hearing his wife’s cries. All that remained of him was a broken-down body.

The cloud slowly moved toward Stephen. He closed his eyes and the beat of his heart stopped.