Waiting In Purgatory Short Story

SORANA PANDREA

Waiting in Purgatory
As the last five words float out of my mouth, the roaring applause begins. Dizziness takes over my frame of mind. I hold on to the podium tightly and try to disguise my discomfort.
My hand grips the hand rail to my left I try to balance myself, everything around me starts to spin and inside I begin to panic. The unsteady metal steps wobble as I place my feet onto them and feel the ground shake under me. I maintain my porcelain like smile and gaze up at the crowd who is still clapping and cheering but now with a puzzled look on their faces. “Jenna are you ok?” my classmate behind me asks ready to jump in and help me down, “I’m fine!” I growl back. As my feet trace the outline of the steps I make it to the ground, my mother is already at the bottom of the stage ready to catch me if I tumble into abyss. My eyelids lose strength and I close my eyes tightly trying to block out a pain so severe I feel myself drifting out of consciousness.
My eyes flutter open and I find myself lying in a bright white room, when I look up the lights above me blind my eyes as I try to adjust to my surroundings. My initial thought is that I died and am now in purgatory awaiting my fate. All I can remember is giving my
My mother who has been by my side this whole time starts to weep, every bone in my body is aching at the sound, I want to tell her but I know that she is in so much pain and sorrow already, I can’t possibly add to it. Mum and I do everything together, she is my best friend and my inspiration, but that will all change. Just as I think that this torture is about to end, my mother lets out a sigh and in a shaky and grief-stricken voice and says; “Jenna my darling, oh if only I could take your place right now.” That’s when I realise, the doctor has already told my mother, she knows about my cancer, she knows what I’m about to face. My eyes shoot open as relief sets in; I embrace her as tightly as I