Ring of Fire

   The sky overhead was deep blue and a beautiful tapestry of orange and yellow colors could be seen on the horizon when a loud siren could be heard as an emergency transit vehicle could be seen barreling through the city. Inside the ambulance lay a disheveled, forlorn old man on a stretcher. The anxious paramedics were checking his vitals as the vehicle came into the loading bay. Doors were swung open callously, as Demetri was quickly transported to the ER. His faint breathing could scarcely be heard through the bustling hallways as nurses dove into the different rooms to try their best to save whatever is left of the dying patients.

   Once inside the room, the paramedics in cargo pants and utility belts were immediately replaced by a plethora of pale-faced nurses wearing blue scrubs carrying medical equipment. They had Demetri sit up in bed as he was put on oxygen. His pulse began to normalize and he started breathing easier. The old man could feel his spine stiffen as he felt cold air coming in the room through the open window. It was a cold morning. Demetri turned on his side as he began to feel himself again. The thermostat next to the door read 68° F, but by the feel of the cold air on his face he felt it much colder. This must be what its like to slowly wither away, he though to himself. He felt cold and lifeless.

   A bright, blue-eyed nurse stepped into the room. “Excuse me, sir. I need you to sit straight up for now, just until your blood pressure is back to normal.” She came over and adjusted him on the bed.

   “What, happened?” He stammered as the nasal cannula was adjusted and secured.

   “From what I heard, the paramedics at your house said that you suffered from a fall caused by a stroke, which is why we need to get more oxygen to your brain immediately.” Responded the young nurse.

   He couldn’t believe it How could this happen to him? He had no history of a stroke.

   All he could remember was waking up this morning with a dry throat and a headache. Demetri remembered that he had woken up before it was light outside, something that rarely happens to him, but he didn’t think twice about it as he prepared his breakfast. He had a medical alert device at home that could call for help, but all he could remember was being on a stretcher put into an ambulance driven to he hospital. It was still at home, lying on the ground in a pool of a blood.

   Another nurse stepped into the room nonchalantly. “Excuse me,” she said in a matter-of-fact tone, “sorry to bother you, but you have a visitor.”

   A forty-five year old woman with a youthful face entered the room. She had long, curly brown hair, narrow cheekbones and auburn eyes. She was the kind of woman who could light up the room with her smile, and make everyone forget their woes.

   “Papa”, she cried, “What happened? I came as fast as I could.” There was worry in her eyes.

   “Ah, Eleni, do not worry about me. This is just the natural process of getting older.” He didn’t want to show weakness in front of his daughter.

   She put her hand on his head. There was no sign of fever. She did notice that her pupils were slightly dilated, and he looked more pale than usual.

   She couldn’t figure it out on her own, but thankfully the nurse had finished taking his vitals, and told her that her father had a stroke in his home, but somehow managed to call life alert while the event occurred, and managed to fall on the hard kitchen floor without any damage apparently done to his skull. At least, so far the nurses hadn’t found anything. They would need to get x-rays taken to asses any fractures, sprained ligaments and broken bones.

   The nurse left, and Eleni stayed with her father and had lunch. He was told by the nurse to stay in bed the rest of the day because of his critical condition. Eleni went to the cafeteria in the hospital and brought him lunch. On the tray set down in front of him was meatloaf, collared greens, mashed potatoes, and a small bowl of yogurt on the side with a glass of water, a traditional meal of bland food offered at a hospital so as not to upset the stomach.

   She sat on a chair on the side of the door. “Papa, how do you feel right now?”

   “Still not too good, not like things used to be.” He had to admit it. He looked off to the side, as if waiting for something to happen.

   “Well, that is to be expected after that fall. I’m just worried, without mom here, what might happen to you, even with that alert responder.”

   “Eleni, I’ll be fine. I can take care of myself.” Demetri was starting to feel like a child by the way his daughter was talking to him, as if he needed help.

   Eleni was not convinced. “I’m sorry,” she apologized, although she didn’t now why, “but I don’t think it would be good leaving you by yourself. I’m going to stay with you for a couple days after you get out of the hospital, or at least long enough until I’m convinced that you’re better and in control of all of your faculties.”

   He didn’t see her changing her mind, so he shrugged and said, “sounds good to me.” Besides, it would be nice for him to have some company for a change. The home had become a lonely place of solitude for him since the wife died.

   “Ok, that settles it. I will call the hospital tomorrow to get an idea of when it would be. Be well.” With that, his daughter hugged him and said goodbye and left. She was his old child and the only family member close by, so she had brought it on herself to take care of him after his wife passed away three years ago.

   After lunch, he started feeling better. His pulse was strong, and he was able to stand. He walked over to go the bathroom, then walked back to the room, with no support. His dexterity was also coming back in his hands.

   It was the middle of the afternoon, and he was beginning to feel drowsy. After all, he had woken up early. He decided to turn on the TV. He started watching the baseball game. He wasn’t sure what time it was when it ended, only that the news came on after. 

   On the TV set, he was looking at a story that started talking about a solar eclipse. This happens when the moon passes between the earth and the sun. They told of an eclipse occurring next week, on Friday. It was going to happen sometime in the morning hours; the newscaster didn’t give the exact time. Strange, usually NASA knows when these occurrences happen to the exact minute. The man speaking on the screen bothered him. His demeanor was unsettling. His eyes were empty and hollow, and he wore all black. It did not look like he was reading from a teleprompter. It was almost like the man was controlling the event that he was speaking of.

   It made Demetri feel unnerved. He awoke, slightly confused. Then, he remembered where he was. It was dark in his room. One of the nurses must have come in to turn off the lights and turn off the TV.

   Today was his day of release. The hospital staff had him sign some paperwork and give him some new pills to help alleviate the pain, and sent him on his way. His daughter came to pick him up.

   Before he knew it, he was back in his old house again just in time for supper.

He talked to his daughter about the eclipse. She didn't know what he was talking about, stating that the last eclipse was five years ago, and that there wasn't going to be another for 10 years that would be able to be seen on this side of the world. Now she knew that he was on the other side, and only his body was here.

After Sunday, the days passed slowly, as if his anticipation was causing the hours to slow. At last, it was Thursday. It was a cloudy day, and he had his strength back. By now his daughter had left, and he was feeling cold that night. He closed all of the windows, and read a book in his rocking chair.

He had awoke at 7AM, and immediately got out of bed to go to the porch, where he sat on his chair.

The clouds lifted at 8AM, and he saw the sunlight around him begin to diminish. Up above, the sun started to disappear before his very eyes, and darkness fell over him. He slumped down and fell out of the world. There, his daughter would find him later that day. No one else ever saw that eclipse.