"A-ALEX?!"
Mrs. A cried out as she ran and followed behind Mr. A.
Her tears fell and glistened under the dim light of Alex's room as she dashed into it.
Soon after Dave, Wendy and Evelyn snapped out of their daze and dashed into the room as well.
"A-Alex?"
"Hey Alex, you... you there?"
"A-Alex mom's here, okay? And she's not leaving anytime soon."
"Alex, you damn boy, please open your eyes for me. Please."
Every begged and cried as they knelt at Alex's bed as soft uncontrollable tears streamed down their cheeks.
They begged and cried and threatened (monotonously) and pleaded and cried and waled and hoped and waited and prayed and begged and cried and gasped and cried and cried and cried and cried.
"Ha.....h."
Until....
"Ha... ha... ha... what's-s-s-s wr-wrong you guys?"
The soft pale whimper of his drawn breath stopped them all in their tracks. Their eyes cleared, their tears froze and so did their bodies. Their shot eyes open slowly as the site before them simply held no reasonable or justifiable reaction of the sort.
"Guys... I'm... here...."
"Ha....H."
"Alex! Don't speak dammit!" Alex's father cautioned as his grip on his son's tightened, but not enough to jolt any sense of pain into Alex, but rather...
"I'm here, right next you so, so do-don't strain yourself."
A sense of presence to him.
"Ah... father... Is it your crooked sweet voice that I hear?"
"Yes, yes it's-"
"Ha....h I-I don't like it when I hear that voice... coz you only used it... at... at... grandma's funeral."
Mr. A's eyes shot wide open as he opened his mouth to say, "What... n-no! I could never... I will never-"
"Oh... c'mon dad. Cut the crap already. Do you really think that I'm going to die...?"
"No! Of course no-"
"Then... don't use that voice... as Wollard Hawking... you should know better than to go back on your word..."
"..."
"Do you remember dad... what you told me on that day?"
Mr. A flashbacks to the day of his mom's funeral. He remembers himself giving the final of the funeral and the voice that he used as he gave it.
On that day, Alex looked at his father with a solemn confusion that only he felt. One couldn't simply blame Alex. For he knew his dad. Who had been to the military. Seen more than a regular soldier should've seen and survived what the regular couldn't. He could justify this with the memories of his father stories.
For they made Alex the true depth of a lost life... although his father sugar coated everything in the best way he could... for reason little Alex understood. Way more than a regular person could and yet he bore the weight words of his father's words... with an even greater mental strength than his own father's.
So, instead of questioning he looked with a pure indifference to what was occurring all around him.
And as the funeral came to an end, Alex's father cautioned him to slap him the next time he heard him speak with a such a tone in his voice.
The flashback as a gentle swipe on his left face jolted him back to reality. His eyes shot open and gaze snapped back at Alex who had seemingly attempted to back hand his own dad on the face.
This would surprise many and it did so to those who knelt alongside Mr. A. Even Alex's mother was slightly stunned at the occurrence before her.
And a deathly moment, a slow and uncomfortable silence creeped into the room. Alex's father looked at Alex with desperation and guilt. Mrs. A also gazed upon Alex with a solemn indifference in her eyes.
The rest all bore distinct reactions of their own. Dave... he seemed to be worried and pissed, Jena looked like as if she wanted to swallow herself whole as bit on her lip fiercely and continuously, Wendy was devasted at the site of Alex and Evelyn cried and gagged as she controlled herself from crying too loudly and... throwing up?
Hm? Wouldn't this count as disrespectful? Yes, it would very much so, but... for anyone who would've gazed upon or glanced his way would gag and flee immediately.
For he now looked like a whole lifetime had gone by for him. And he was now a shell of the former him. A shell with cracks. Cracks that did not need the winds or currents to deepen and widen them. But rather... time.
And so, his state left him rather...
"Ha. ha. ha... don't I look weird e-ever- every... one?"
Alex mumbled his voice softer than that of 80-year-old woman. And more broken than a dying man's final plea.
"Ha...h, ha...h, ha....h."
"Mo...m, da...d... hahhh, everyo-one. Come, p-plea....please."
Everyone's shot open as they hurriedly crawled over and lined themselves on the edge of Alex's bed.
"Ha...h, ha...h, he...h, ha...h, he...h."
"Stretch... out your hands...."
Alex said as he forced an increase in his voice tone that dropped as if he were using his final breathes to muster all the all strength he had left in his body.
They seemed to notice as beads of rapidly formed and strolled down their faces.
Could this be... Alex's final moment? Or was he trying to console them?
For this was a mystery, was it not? Well, it didn't matter at the time as he then raised his hand. Weakly. Faintly. Painfully. But he endured all the pain he experienced and responded with even greater rebellion and determination against this abysmal pain that jolted throughout his entire being.
But this boy.
A very stubborn one indeed.
Got up by force as he coughed and reverberated so hard you'd think that he'd literally fall apart.
His determination was rock. His energy laced thinner than that of a new born. His breathes not even strong enough to blow a feather away. And yet, this boy, Alexander Hawkings sat up straight and turned his head towards his family and friends.
He looked at them. His eyes sunken. His eyelids barely able to hold open as he did so.
And... again...
"A-a-a."
His dry lips moved as his hoarse voice faintly blared out.
"A-all of you. Stretch your hands out. Now...."
His said as he struggled to hold on. His mom was flustered with shock. And so were the rest. All accept for...
"Y-yes son. I'm here what us ut that you need?"
Mr. A uttered softly as his trembling hand stretched out to Alex.
His father. Who wanted to cry, but couldn't. Who wanted to hug his son for the strength he displayed and tell him that it was 'okay' and that he should 'rest'.
But... he did not do so. He instead commanded th rest to stretch out their hands to him as well.
And they were even more stunned than before. But none of them questioned. None of them argued. None of them retaliated with numerous questions on his judgement.
It was as if... they could feel what he felt. Understand what he'd processed. And so... they obeyed.
"Ha-ha-ha.... good... really nice y'all."
He congratulated as he stretched his hand out on and rested it upon his father's as said, "All of you... pu-put... you hands on mine and dad's..."
He said as the breath in his voice seemed to become even more laced and thin.
The others hurriedly did as he said and then he closed his eyes and his head upwards. The others flinched in response. Afraid that Alex had given out, but...
"Ffff."
His breathe drew their worries away as he opened his mouth to say, "I don't.... have much time... but... I'll at least pray... pray like what Alex would do in this situation."
"But... I don't have enough energy to pray right now..."
He said as tear fell from his closed eyes.
"I... sp-soent it all getting up you see... so... I can't really...."
He said as his body began to tremble uncontrollably.
"S-s-so, I will pray. Proverbs 3:5-6, Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths... so... everyone... do not be.. d-dis-"
Cough! Cough! Cough!
"Dismayed. Instead be faithful... for He has plan for us that were long written before we were even born."
Everyone...
Their reactions to this what were they?
Sorrow? Of course. Pity? Most definitely. Fear? Surely, but.....
When Alex spoke, their tears, their pain and their cries... it all faded away....
And like the never ending light of dawning sun... their smiles... alien to them. Warm. And suddle. Perked up and warmed the atmosphere as they looked at Alex like as if he'd just performed a miracle. But was it really the case? No, it was His doing.
And with Alex fell back on to bed.
His vision blurred, his hearing deafened slowly, but...
As his family friends panicked for his sake. His gaze fell onto the nurse who was pushed in by his family and friends.
She bent down to check on his heart beat.
And just as she was about to lift her head.
Tap.
Alex caught it with his small, skinny arm as he whispered, "Before... before I go... please promise me.... that.... you'll-"