FLATLINE

Blinding lights I couldn’t see.

Immobilized and pinned beneath a tree.

Lightening and chaos were everywhere.

Thundering sounds of a malicious scare.

Now in the ambulance with sirens blasting

People barking orders, red lights flashing

A tree branch piercing through my chest

This was the end of my life, or near death at best

I felt myself slipping away. I was dying

Then suddenly I sensed myself flying.

Then no sounds, light, vision, or voice

The end is in sight. I had no choice.

This is death. No emotion, no physical feeling. A world of nothing.

Composed of nothing.

A hint of light flashed before my eyes.

This is how one dies.

They opened my chest and massaged my heart.

Then they removed a shard of tree bark.

“I’m Doctor Swanson. You have been on life support for the tenth day.

And you are breathing on your own today.”

“I saw it all. You massaged my heart.”

“We put you back together. You were torn apart.”

“I saw you shock me. Flat Line you said.”

“That’s impossible Tom. You were essentially dead.”

“I saw you repair my heart and stop the bleeding.”

“I understand. Our minds play tricks. Dreams are fleeting.”

“I saw you pull a tree splinter from my chest.”

“Some patients report fantasies and wild dreams at best.”

“We’ve placed you on powerful medicines that can create dreams and out of body visions.”

“It was real. These were not apparitions.”

“You need to rest.”

Transferring you to a recovery room would be best.”

“Flat line,” I said.

“CODE BLUE,” Dr. Swanson said.