"Cherry"

“Cherry”

By Cody Williams

 

1.

Nobody really knew where Cherry came from. At first, we didn’t really know who or what she was. But I do remember the first time I saw her. Let me tell you something, she was really something special. I suppose that she always had been. My name is Hector. Hector Morgan. I used to work over at the Halls Nursing Home in downtown Florence, Tennessee. That’s where I met Cherry.

            It was a Saturday afternoon. The sun was shining through the automatic glass double doors at the front of the lobby. I was sitting at the front desk when I first saw her. She came out of nowhere really. She was wearing a white and blue dress. The young girl had bright blonde hair and baby blue eyes. As she passed by I sat up and leaned in towards her.

            “Can I help you?” I asked her. She ignored me and walked past the desk and down the hallway. I came out from behind the desk and followed her down the hallway. She turned right and walked into the room at the bottom of the hallway. It was Dick McCartney’s room. He was a nice old man. His family hardly ever came to visit him (people rarely do in a nursing home).

            “What the hell is she doing going into Dick’s room?” I mumbled to myself as I slowly walked that way. When I reached the door, I stayed on the outside and watched. The little girl walked over to the old man’s bedside and smiled at him.

            “Well hello there little one. What do you know?” Dick struggled to say as he opened his eyes and smiled at the young girl. I continued to watch as she slowly reached up and put her little hands on the cheeks of the old man.

            “I’m here to help you!” The young girl said. She closed her eyes and a piercing white light shot from her hands. “Goodbye Mr. McCartney!” She said as the lights faded and Dick’s head began to droop. I walked into the room and rushed over to the old man. He was dead. I turned around to face the little girl.

            “What did you do to him?” I asked her as I knelt down beside her.

            “I didn’t do anything. I just helped him pass. I had to come here and tell him goodbye!” She said with a sweet tone and cute smile on her face.

            “What’s your name doll?” I asked her.

            “Cherry.” She answered.

            “Where did you come from? Is your mom and dad around?” The little girl said nothing. She just smiled at me. I stood up and walked over to Dick’s bedside. I wrapped two fingers around his wrist and waited for a pulse…there was none. “S**t!” I mumbled under my breath as I turned back around to face the girl. “Look…” I started only to notice that she was gone.

 

2.

It wasn’t until a month later that I would see young Cherry again. Once again, I was sitting at the front desk reading Time Magazine of the nursing home when she came walking by.

            “Cherry?” I said as I stood and followed her down the hallway. She took a left hand turn five doors down the hallway into Ms. Heather Little’s room. I peaked my head in and looked at the little girl standing there next to the bedside of the old woman.

            “Hey there honey! What’s your name?” Ms. Little asked the young girl with a smile. The young girl smiled back.

            “Cherry!” She said with a soft giggle as she slowly began to reach out and grab the old woman by the hand. The old woman smiled again as the right light once again shot out of Cherry’s hands and the old woman’s head drooped and her life escaped her body.

            “Jesus Crist!” I said as I quickly ran over towards her. She was dead. I turned around as saw the little girl leaving the room. “No! Wait!” I shouted as I darted out of the room after her. I finally chased her down at the end of the hallway and knelt down beside her. I turned her around to face me. She was smiling. I smiled back as her smile was almost contagious. “Who are you? Where did you come from little one?” I asked her.

            “I’m Cherry! I’ve always been here!” She said sweetly.

            “What did you do to Ms. Little?”

            “I helped her! That’s what I do. I help people pass to the other side. I hold their hand and help them cross the street!” She said. Cherry smiled at me again before turning her back to me. She walked down the remainder of the hallway and disappeared in mid air.

Copyright 2015 by Cody Williams
Courtesy of The Enchanted Press
A division of TTP Entertainment

Author's Note

It's been a while. This is the first of two stories that will be published today (1/25/15). It is a bit lighter and more family friendly than the other one. I hope you all like it. Comments and reviews are welcome as always!

-CW

Reviews

[ANTO]

I liked it Cody - I expected Cherry to zap the doc too since he knows too much - I figured he only saw her because his number was up too. Im glad she didnt zap him though. Dont even know why, perhaps I was already growing to like the character.
Good one Cody

[Cody Williams]

Thanks for reading ANTO!

-CW

[Tania]

Really nice poem ! Enjoyed reading this

[Sami Khalil]

I like it too. Written with your magical pen like always. Bravo...:).......

[Cody Williams]

Thanks for reading Sami!

-CW

[Sami Khalil]

You are welcome...:)......