Redemption Pt. 4

 Redemption Pt. 4

This short story, called “Redemption,” was published in The Dazed Starling in 2015 and incorporates magical realism. All words and ideas are copyrighted by KaylaAnn. I will be sharing it in four consecutive parts. This story may include material not suitable for younger audiences or those easily triggered due to violent, sexual, scary, supernatural, or mature content.

I recommend a re-reading of the story as a whole! Consider the parts in italics as separate. I would GREATLY appreciate your comments on how the story builds and resolves, or any other comments on content and entertainment value.

This is part four – The Ending.

 

 

“Her blood pressure is sky-rocketing!”

“I don’t understand, she’s never had this response.”

“Get an IV in her STAT!”

Why are they worried about me? Don’t they understand He’s dying? Somebody help Him!

 

There’s a faint beeping in my ears. It echoes the beating I feel in my chest and fingertips. My body feels heavy, as though someone filled me with boulders. Even my eyes feel heavy. I try to remember. There had been art class, and then I had been taken to therapy. Then Lilith came to my room. I groan.

“Did you hear that? Maybe she’s waking up!”

But that wasn’t all. Someone else had come. Gabriel. He took me somewhere, then there was the room, and the memory and someone was hurting. Someone was in a tremendous amount of pain, for me. He was trying to take away my pain. I try to open my eyes.

“Galia, sweetheart, can you hear me?”

“Her vital signs are good.”

“What happened?” The angry voice belongs to my mother. I can feel her hand in mine.

“You and your daughter were both aware of the side effects and risks of electroshock therapy. She responded badly to her last session, but I believe we are making progress.”

“Progress!” My mother’s voice leaps at least two octaves higher. “You call being medically dead for a whole minute, process?”

“I will give you some time with your daughter.” I hear the door open and close.

Electroshock Therapy. Of course. I fell apart after that night. Adam Bret got away with it. The cops said I was drunk and his friends claimed it was consensual. Even my own friends deserted me. Who wanted to hang out with the girl who couldn’t cope because some guy didn’t call her the day after? Who wanted to be with the girl who couldn’t handle her liquor? I was asking for it. Everyone knew I was a slut, no one would believe I had been a virgin. They all said it, behind my back and to my face. I heard it so often that I started to believe it. Six months after I took some pills, but I didn’t take enough. My mom found me and brought me here. I was the one who requested shock therapy. I had heard it could take away memories. But it also caused hallucinations, like my dreams of Hell and Heaven. But were they really hallucinations or were they something more?

I remember the writing on the wall. Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa. My fault, but was it really? I remember the room where Gabriel took me. The room where I found Him. The One who was willing to die so that His blood would cover those screens that were constantly displaying my sins. No. Those were not hallucinations. I was dead for a whole minute, wasn’t I? Maybe it was in that minute I was given a chance to see something. A choice to be more than I am. A second chance. To trust and believe. My mom squeezes my hand. I feel a small drop of water hit my fingers.

My eyes flutter open. “Mom?”

Her watery eyes fly up, “Galia? Baby, you’re awake!”

I clear my throat. Yes I’m finally awake for the first time in what feels like years. I squeeze her hand as tight as I can.

“I’m ready to go home now.”

 

 

Thank you to everyone who has stuck with me and read all four parts! I hope you enjoyed the reading! I would also like to tell everyone that redemption is available for everyone. God loves you, no matter what you’ve been through and no matter what you think you deserve. You are loved by God.