Until That One (standard:other, 4876 words)
Author: Jeremy Jones	Added: Feb 07 2004	Views/Reads: 3033/2083	Story vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
After 30 years of marriage and a wife in a coma, Jeff discovers a secret that will forever change his view of life.

The room stood as a textbook example of what a hospital room looked
like. Its walls were dressed in a pale white colour lacking any 
patterns or textures, only a door and a window located high up broke 
the mundane wall colour. In the centre of the room was a single sized 
bed which was currently occupied by a patient in her mid forties. The 
monitoring equipment surrounded the bed, keeping away the silence. In 
the corner of the room was a man of roughly the same age, although 
looking no older than 30, half asleep on a chair. 

Reaching both hands up to the ceiling, Jeff opens his eyes and lets out
a yawn, exhausting all the tiredness that creped in during his long 
night by the hospital bed. Sitting on the cold hard chair Jeff looked 
over at his wife, still lying motionless on the hospital bed, a blank 
face that has stayed the same for almost a month. “Baby I can't see 
where this is going to lead, we have always been honest with each 
other, but somehow this doesn't make sense. I've been trying to find 
this man's name for almost a week now but it seems there is no trace of 
him. I don't know who he is, or how long you really did spend with 
him...” pausing to restrain from breaking down in sadness, he continues 
“...and I still feel that there is no way you would have betrayed me. 
I'm going to leave you for awhile, I need to find this guy and see what 
he has to say about this, about what really happened between you two. 
You have to stay strong while I'm gone, keep fighting baby....” with 
the words spoken he placed a soft kiss on his wife's forehead and 
headed towards the door. 

Going back almost a month now, on a day that began not unlike this one,
we go to number 9 of a quiet and peaceful looking road. Coming up from 
the sunset is the silhouette of a young boy riding a bike, throwing the 
daily paper onto the yards of the houses. The boy heads towards number 
9, with a man waiting outside for the news of the world, throwing with 
the accuracy of a major league pitcher the boy guides the paper towards 
the hands of the awaiting man. With a friendly wave, Jeff heads inside 
with the words of yesterday's events. It's a regular occurrence, 
waiting for the paper, an almost unbearably anxious wait happens 
frequently for the events written within. Sitting down at the table, 
he's greeted by a hot cup of coffee and toast; unfolding the paper he 
escapes reality to indulge the current events. 

“Baby, great news on the reserve bank, its not as bad as feared” as with
almost clock-work predictability, Jeff speaks of the highlights found 
within to his wife. Though he would always awake his wife with the 
highlights, today there was not a peep to be heard. Heading for the 
room, Jeff walks in to find his wife still sleeping, going over to her 
side he tries to awaken his love with the gentle of kisses, but with a 
lack of response he starts to shake and nudge her. “Baby, wake up, 
baby... Are you ok” with no response his face starts turning white with 
fear, he runs to the phone calling the emergency hotline, begging them 
to come over. 

Jeff watches the doors swing back and forth as the hospital staff rush
through them, it's been half an hour without any news of his wife. The 
waiting room seems quite for a morning, although it has been years 
since Jeff last went to a hospital. It's clear this room has brought a 
lot of sorrow throughout its time, but his fingers are crossed that 
this news will be a break. A man dressed in white approaches Jeff with 
a blank look on his face. “Mr. Robertson” with an anxious tone that 
seems to prepare for a fearful response the man continues. 
“Unfortunately you wife has fallen into a coma, the cause of which is 
currently unknown, at such an early stage and with little facts to go 
on I am unable to speculate as to her chances of survival. I'm afraid 
that until further tests are done there is no way we can tell when or 
if she will wake.” 

Jeff brings himself back to the present, heading for his car. Before
entering his vehicle he spots a note attached to the windshield, unlike 
the others this was more direct and serious. “They know, time is 
running short. Find your answers, but make haste”. Jeff knew the notes 
author; it was a man running in secret, fearful of his own shadow. Only 
once did he meet this man, but he left without giving a name or clue as 
to where to find him. Tracking him down seemed impossible, yet he would 
always provide cryptic clues when they were needed most. 

His fragile mind causes a lapse in his concentration once more, reliving
the previous week. 


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