God Hears You

Chapter 21

Sleep begins to catch up and it becomes too difficult to wait for the room exchange. I hear my parents purring lightly, tucked tightly beneath their covers. I stare at the TV a bit, nodding in and out. Eventually, I fall asleep alongside them.

As my body begins to relax, and my mind begins to shut down, I hear a whisper. "Raphael, Raphael, lend me your wings. Patron of Doctors, Nurses, and Medical things." Too tired to investigate, I surrender to the sleep.

My dream state is fluid. I see glimpses of my childhood. Playing at Recess besides Pauly. Sharing an ice-cream with my grandmother. Playing Piano for the first time. the dreams are vivid in warm. I engage in a recollection of warm memories, before the them switches up. 

Eventually, I am back in the hospital room. Not as my physical self, but while in the dream state. At first, I am confused. I perceive myself to be awake. I can see my parents sitting beside me. I can see the TV, silently playing the telenovela. but I cannot speak, or see myself. It is as if I am watching the world around me from a third person angle. 

I begin to move around the room. I see my parents belongings neatly piled up behind them. "Hmm, I wonder what else I can see." I attempt to open the door. It feels excessively heavy, like a pile of bricks. There's no luck. It appears as if I'm stuck. In frustration, I lean my back against the door in attempt to think of a plan. Suddenly, I lose balance and fall through the door. I land in the middle of the hallway. A slew of Doctors and Nurses walk by as I cower in fear of being trampled over. The professionals walk right through me, as if I weren't even there. I continue to cower before realizing they've long passed. 

I attempt to study my hands and my body, but realize that I am close to being transparent. Amazed, I get up and proceed to explore the rest of the hospital with my newfound body. I continue to walk towards what appears to be a circulation desk. On the desk, a blue print of the floor plan is made available. 

The third floor stands out to me. It reads "Palliative Care Unit." I attempt to make my way up to the stairs. Upon arriving to the stair case, I notice a few people working their way down. I do my best to inch and swerve around them until I suddenly remember that I am transparent. I stand still and allow the people to walk through me. There is a feeling of peace that fills me, as I suddenly realize that I do not have to worry about taking up space like I do when I'm awake. 

I finally attempt to climb the stairs. But I cannot feel the ground beneath me. With each step, I sink back towards the ground level. I stubbornly continue to attempt to climb the stairs until I reach the conclusion that it cannot be done. I suddenly remember the elevator, and make my way over to the front of the lobby. As I reach the lobby, I notice a few people waiting for elevators to various floors. 

I study the people to see which one would be going to the third floor. After moments of watching people go in and out of the elevator, I notice an older woman who seemed to be working her way up to the third floor. She was small, and fragile looking. Her hair was tucked into a neat bun. She stood with her hands clasped, as if she were praying. And she looked as if she were distracted. Attached to her wrist was a plastic bag filled with soft drinks. She proceeds to make her way into the elevator as I follow behind her. The ride is fairly quiet, being that we are the only ones in the elevator. As it works its way down, the lady begins to seem more and more troubled. Curious, I follow after her. 

She makes her way to a room 333. The slip on the door reads "Mr. Mael"

She pauses before entering the room, closely the door behind her in a protective manner. I hesitate before making an attempt to enter the room. I look around sneakily, as if anyone can see me, before attempting to walk through the door. After taking a deep breath, I attempt to walk through the door. To my surprise, I am ricocheted and slammed to the ground. 

I quickly sit up and stare at the door, doing my best to gauge what could've happened. The door looks plain, and no different than the room door I managed to slip out of. I study the door, wondering if I'm missing some sort of secret code. This feels like a completely foreign turf. Though this looks like the world I'm familiar with, it operates almost as a completely separate world. With its own rules and protocols. 

I stand up and procced to find another way in. I walk up to the door more cautiously this time, and procced to place my hand on the door to feel for a blind spot. As I place my hand on the door, I experience a sensation of shock throughout my body. My body almost seems to glitch as my flesh makes a slight appearance before disappearing again. 

Before I could process what's happened, I feel a cool wind behind me. I turn around to find Arch Angel Raphael, standing before me. His arms are crossed. He seems displeased. 

"I guess once burned, twice shy doesn't apply to you?" 

I rock back and forth in embarrassment. He scolds me with silence before proceeding.

"Anyway, you couldn't get into the room even if you truly tried. It's sealed with angel magic. Only the loved ones of the patient, medical staff, and appointed angels could access this room."

I turn back to study the door, looking for signs I might've missed before. "Well, why is that?"

Raphael looks at me antagonistically. "Let's just say you aren't the only one who likes to push boundaries." 

Raphael pauses a moment as if he were in deep thought. "Actually, this might be good for you. Come." 

Within moments, Raphael and I are on the other side of the door. There is an older man in a hospital bed. His eyes are shut closed. He is on oxygen. The woman from the elevator sits on the floor beside him, on her knees. As Raphael and I stand behind her, the woman begins to close her eyes and clasp her hands. She begins to speak in what sounds like French. 

" Jésus, s'il te plaît, entends mes prières."

Raphael seems very focused. More so on the woman than the man. I study him, attempting to uncover what he might be up to. He proceeds to inch closer to the woman. He stands before her, uttering something back in French.

"Je t'entends."

He looks at me before proceeding. I am on a very important mission right now. He looks at the man before glancing at me. The man that you see here today Diana, he is dying."

I feel a cold chill go down my spine.

"I was sent here today to put both him and his partner out of their suffering. He has hung on, throughout his discomfort, because he is afraid to leave her alone."

I stare at Raphael with great sorrow. To think that I would attempt to spy on a couple going through such grief.

Raphael takes note of my shame and comforts me momentarily. "Just a day ago, I was beside your parents similarly."

I think to the name that I saw on the hospital door. "Mael?" I say aloud. Any idea what that name means?

Raphael approaches the man. He gets close, so close, as if he were to kiss the man before he proceeds to whisper into his ear.

"God hears you, Mael. It is time." And a cool breeze takes over the room. I see what looks like a ghastly vapor appear into thin air. Angel Raphael pulls out what seems like a jar and traps the vapor within it.

Shortly after, the Vital Monitor begins to beep for a few moments before it flatlines. The woman on her knees begins to wail. Overwhelmed, I take a step back and turn my body partially towards the door, as if this isn't something I deserve to witness.

Raphael stands strongly before the woman, but she sees him not. She continues to weep and hold on to her husband. The wailing continues. Raphael leans closer to the woman and kisses her forehead. A chill fills the room once more. She pauses, staring his direction. For a moment, it seems as if they can suddenly see one another. Raphael holds intense eye contact with the woman as she gazes back in his direction before we disappear without a trace.