Chapter 133: Is This What Happens?

I followed the doctors as they took my body to perform an MRI after they finished doing the CT scan.

A MRI, also known as Magnetic resonance imaging, is a medical imaging technique used in radiology to form pictures of the anatomy and the physiological processes of the body. MRI scanners use strong magnetic fields, magnetic field gradients, and radio waves to generate images of the organs in the body.

The doctors performed the MRI of my entire body, I assumed to make sure there weren't any other injuries from the car accident. During the process, I was in a daze, unsure of what to think about all this.

I was obviously having an out of body experience…at least I guessed that's what it must be. But part of me wondered, what if I was brain dead? Am I ghost or a spirit now? And if I was…why hadn't I moved on to Heaven – or maybe Hell, but I'd like to think I was worthy enough for Heaven – why was I stuck here, roaming the halls of the hospital?

Did I have "unfinished business" as they always say about spirits that hang around. I had tried calling out to Emily, and even my parents, to no avail. It seemed as if I was entirely alone. Maybe I was in Purgatory?

I suddenly noticed the new surroundings that had appeared around me without my notice. I guess I had been so deep in my thoughts, I missed when the changes happened.

I was now standing outside a hospital room, facing a glass window that allowed me to see inside. There I was, in a hospital bed, hooked up to a ventilator, a heart monitor, a blood pressure machine, and an IV was still in my arm. The scene looked like something out of a science fiction movie, surrounded by machines that had many lights and buttons and screens.

The Neurosurgeon was writing on what I assumed to be my chart, while nurses made sure everything was set properly to monitor me. The fact that they seemed to be preparing to monitor my condition for a while, must of meant I wasn't brain dead, right?

I was suddenly startled when I heard a voice beside me.

"Hello…can you see me?" The voice asked.

I looked to my right to see an older woman standing next to me. She had short, gray curly hair, and her face was lined with wrinkles, a telltale sign of her age. I guessed she may be in her seventies, or maybe her eighties, it was hard to tell. She was wearing a beautiful dress that came down to just below her knees, and the dress had a pretty floral pattern on it.

The type of dress a grandmother would wear.

"Yes…can you see me…?" I asked, then realized my stupidity.

Of course she could see me, she asked me that question first!

She smiled at me.

"I can…you look a little lost," she replied, and then looked into the hospital room at my body, and then looked back at me. "What happened?"

"I um…I was in a car accident, I think I'm in a coma," I replied. "What about you?" I added, feeling like this had to be the strangest conversation I'd ever had in my life…or, in between life?

"I died," the woman replied, without a hint of sadness. She even had a smile on her face, as if she was good news.

"Oh…I'm so sorry…" I replied, shocked by her response, and equally confused.

She must of seen the confusion on my face, because she smiled sweetly at me.

"It was a shock at first of course," she started. "I've had a rough go of it the last year, battling cancer for a second time," she explained.

I frowned.

"I'm sorry…that must have been awful," I replied.

"It was, but I'm happy now," she responded.

"Happy? But how-" I started, but she cut me off.

"I know, it sounds so strange," she started, laughing softly. "But my family had to watch me suffer, always wishing they could do more. I had a wonderful few moments with my children and grandchildren, and then I went to sleep…it was peaceful, and I was surrounded by those I loved most. And now, I'll finally be reunited with my dearest Henry, my husband, he passed ten years ago," she explained, a smile on her face the entire time.

I felt tears in my eyes, but a smile was on my face as she told her story. But part of me wondered why she was still here, in this…whatever it was.

"That will be wonderful…" I said softly, thinking of my own life.

I wanted that…I wanted to have a husband, children, maybe even grandchildren. I wanted a full life, full of joy and happiness, full of love and laughter. I never thought those things could be possible for me, considering my differences. But now that I was dating Zak…I wanted those things, if he wanted them too of course. I smiled at the idea of Zak and I getting married, having kids, growing old together…

But when I looked back in the hospital room at my motionless body, hooked up to so many machines, the prospect of that world came crashing down around me. What if it was too late for me?

"Listen sweetie," the old woman said, as she gently took my hands in hers. "I know we never met, but something in me is telling me to say this," the woman started, as I focused my attention back on her. "Take some advice from an old woman who's lived a long, and happy life. Don't let your fears and insecurities rule your life," she said.

My mouth dropped open in shock – how could she possibly know…

"Life is so short, but there is so much joy, love, and laughter than can be experienced if we learn to let go of the negative things in our lives, and learn how to overcome our fears, and just accept things for how they are," she said.

I felt tears well up in my eyes.

"I don't know how…" I said softly.

"I never said it would be easy," the old woman said, with a slight smile on her face. "Focus on the important things you want to fight for. Take risks. Make mistakes and learn from them. Jump right into things that terrify you. You're only human, and you only live once. Make your life count, so that when the time comes to move on to whatever comes next, you can look back and be happy," she said, gently squeezing my hands.

I smiled and looked back in the hospital room at my body.

"What if it's to late for me…" I trailed off, as I suddenly felt my hands become empty. I turned to look back to the woman, only to see that she was gone.

"Enjoy your reunion with Henry…" I said softly, smiling slightly.

I looked back in the hospital room, and at the thought of entering the room, I was suddenly there inside the room.

At least that part is kinda cool…I thought.

I slowly walked forward until I was standing beside the bed, looking down at my own body. I looked like I could be peacefully sleeping…if it weren't for the awful tube going down my throat to keep me breathing.

I felt my self wondering if this is what happens to everyone when they die. Do they enter this…in-between stage? Where, maybe the purpose of this in-between was to let you know you had died, and then you move on to whatever comes after. Or, if you have some unfinished business, you're stuck in this in-between.

That certainly made all of my experience as a paranormal investigator make sense. Any spirits I had encountered along the last several months were stuck here, either trying to fulfill someone need, or unable to accept the fact that they had died…

My thoughts then drifted to Emily…she must be stuck in this in-between world, and that made me sad. I didn't want her to be stuck like this, she should be able to move on. Why couldn't she? Was her "unfinished business" to take care of me?

God…

"Emily…I'm so sorry…" I said softly, glancing around the room in hopes she would appear, but she didn't.

I looked back down at my body and suddenly felt frustrated. If Emily couldn't move on because she needed to take care of me, then I needed to wake up, and start living my life like most people do.

"Wake up your silly girl…" I muttered in frustration and anger.

But then another thought made me feel like I had run into a brick wall. Maybe the reason why Emily couldn't meet me here, was because I was dead…and thus, her "unfinished business" had been completely, and she had free moved on to whatever comes next…

I felt tears well up in my eyes at that thought, and closed my eyes tightly.

After a few minutes of just standing there, trying to fight through the overwhelming amount of emotions running through me, I suddenly heard footsteps outside in the hallway.

When I looked up, I immediately frowned.

It was Dr. Hamza, and he was motioning for Zak to walk inside.

Zak slowly walked into the room, staring at my body with more fear on his face than I had ever seen in the entirety of knowing him.

He had paused in his steps when he had first laid eyes on me, but then he slowly walked toward the opposite side of the bed from where I was standing. He pulled a nearby chair closer to the bed, and sat down in it, and gently took my hand in both of his.

"How long…will she be like this?" Zak asked softly, looking at Dr. Hamza.

"There's no real guideline on how long this type of injury lasts…" Dr. Hamza started. "As I explained in the waiting room, it's a epidural bleed, but not as serious as it could be. We don't need to operate unless something changes," Dr. Hamza explained.

Okay…so maybe it's not the end for me…I just need time to heal…

"Alright…" Zak replied softly, as he looked back at my body again. "Can I stay with her for a while?" Zak asked, looking back at Dr. Hamza.

"Yes, of course," Dr. Hamza responded. "I'll give you time alone with her," he added, and then walked toward the door that led to the hallway.

"Thank you doctor," Zak replied softly, and Dr. Hamza nodded before gently pulling the door closed as he left the room.

The silence that came over the room was deafening, and it was a sad, and fearful silence.

"Ali…you need to wake up…" Zak said softly, looking at my face, while his hands gripped my hand in his. "Please…wake up…" Zak said quietly, and I saw his eyes beginning to water.

I felt my own eyes water as I watched him. I wanted to hold him, and tell him it would be okay, but the truth was, I had no idea what was going to happen.

All I could do was hope things would turn out okay.