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Description
I walked down the empty white halls, flourescent lighting radiating from the rectangular lights from above as my feet made contact with the spotted colored tiles with hollow "clacks". The overwhelming smell of baby powder and soap filled my nostrils with disgust. Taking a deep breath, the air particles that rested on my taste buds made me cringe- it was as if the baby powder was floating in the air. A faint sound of steady beeping reached my ears, causing a shiver to run down my spine as I heard the beating heart that I was in such desperation to find. As one of my clamy hands touched the icy steel handle of the door- my heart started to pounded feverishly.

The darkness of the room caught my eyes by surprise. I fumbled as I took two slow steps, allowing my eyes to adjust to the lack of light. The eerie- yet comforting -sound of the monitor next to the bed glowed a lime green that stood out as bright as fireworks against a pitch black sky. I used the monitor as my North Star as I started my minuscule journey to her bedside. I avoided meeting her eyes (even though I knew they were closed), watching my feet for two reasons: the first being that I wanted to avoid falling flat on my face, and I knew if I looked down at the blanket covered body and faced at her sleeping face, my heart would break into small pieces, shattered by the image that I'd eventually have to face.

After what seemed like an eternity, I finally stopped by the side of her bed, the smell of death surrounding me. The monitor echoed silently behind me, reassuring me that she was truly sleeping and not dead. My own heart felt like it was fading when I looked at her- I breathed in some more foul-smelling air as I rested a trembling pale hand on the bar by her bed. My hand instantly clenched around the bumpy rail; my knuckles turning white, which made them stand out in the black.

The tears that were welling up started to sting my eyes, causing me to blink more frequently and feverishly to avoid crying. 'You promised', chastized my conscience, reminding me of the promise I had made on the ride over. But I couldn't help it as I let my tears flow down from my eyes to my chin, dripping down to the floor or they continued their path down my neck. As I silently wept, the figure began to stir restlessly before me. I inhaled sharply- caught off guard -and quickly, as I tried to regain composure, wi[ping the salty tears out of my eyes with shaky hands. I heard her start to mutter unintelligible words as she shifted, facing me- eyes still closed.

At that time I had allowed myself to look at the body in the bed. As soon as I did, I wished I hadn't. The only parts of her that I could see were her chalky, dehydrated arms that had light liver spots. Her neck was wrinklier that the last time I had seen her. I saved the most heart-wrenching part of her exposed corps for last. Her face was a light grey, eyes half opened revealing her dim brown eyes, her head bald- I felt the salty drops start again, but I stopped as soon as I saw one of her frail arms being lifted slowly- as if she was lifting twenty pounds with as much force she could muster up. Snapping out of my thoughts, my free hand gently took hers, and she spoke in a calm tone, "Normita. Que gusto en ver te." And that was the sentence that confirmed my worst nightmare. The tumour had blinded her and she could no longer recognize me anymore. I suppressed the urge to yell, "No! Soy yo, Natalie!" but I knew it would make no difference, Lola was dying and I wasn't going to waste my last visit with her; asking her to realize who I really was- time is too precious to waste on something that minute.

Eventually she fell asleep after muttering things about what she used to do with my mum. Getting up slowly- trying not to wake her -I leaned in and kissed her forehead before leaving, chocked up as I left the hospital in tears.

That was the last time I saw her alive.

Description
I walked down the empty white halls, flourescent lighting radiating from the rectangular lights from above as my feet made contact with the spotted colored tiles with hollow "clacks". The overwhelming smell of baby powder and soap filled my nostrils with disgust. Taking a deep breath, the air particles that rested on my taste buds made me cringe- it was as if the baby powder was floating in the air. A faint sound of steady beeping reached my ears, causing a shiver to run down my spine as I heard the beating heart that I was in such desperation to find. As one of my clamy hands touched the icy steel handle of the door- my heart started to pounded feverishly.

The darkness of the room caught my eyes by surprise. I fumbled as I took two slow steps, allowing my eyes to adjust to the lack of light. The eerie- yet comforting -sound of the monitor next to the bed glowed a lime green that stood out as bright as fireworks against a pitch black sky. I used the monitor as my North Star as I started my minuscule journey to her bedside. I avoided meeting her eyes (even though I knew they were closed), watching my feet for two reasons: the first being that I wanted to avoid falling flat on my face, and I knew if I looked down at the blanket covered body and faced at her sleeping face, my heart would break into small pieces, shattered by the image that I'd eventually have to face.

After what seemed like an eternity, I finally stopped by the side of her bed, the smell of death surrounding me. The monitor echoed silently behind me, reassuring me that she was truly sleeping and not dead. My own heart felt like it was fading when I looked at her- I breathed in some more foul-smelling air as I rested a trembling pale hand on the bar by her bed. My hand instantly clenched around the bumpy rail; my knuckles turning white, which made them stand out in the black.

The tears that were welling up started to sting my eyes, causing me to blink more frequently and feverishly to avoid crying. 'You promised', chastized my conscience, reminding me of the promise I had made on the ride over. But I couldn't help it as I let my tears flow down from my eyes to my chin, dripping down to the floor or they continued their path down my neck. As I silently wept, the figure began to stir restlessly before me. I inhaled sharply- caught off guard -and quickly, as I tried to regain composure, wi[ping the salty tears out of my eyes with shaky hands. I heard her start to mutter unintelligible words as she shifted, facing me- eyes still closed.

At that time I had allowed myself to look at the body in the bed. As soon as I did, I wished I hadn't. The only parts of her that I could see were her chalky, dehydrated arms that had light liver spots. Her neck was wrinklier that the last time I had seen her. I saved the most heart-wrenching part of her exposed corps for last. Her face was a light grey, eyes half opened revealing her dim brown eyes, her head bald- I felt the salty drops start again, but I stopped as soon as I saw one of her frail arms being lifted slowly- as if she was lifting twenty pounds with as much force she could muster up. Snapping out of my thoughts, my free hand gently took hers, and she spoke in a calm tone, "Normita. Que gusto en ver te." And that was the sentence that confirmed my worst nightmare. The tumour had blinded her and she could no longer recognize me anymore. I suppressed the urge to yell, "No! Soy yo, Natalie!" but I knew it would make no difference, Lola was dying and I wasn't going to waste my last visit with her; asking her to realize who I really was- time is too precious to waste on something that minute.

Eventually she fell asleep after muttering things about what she used to do with my mum. Getting up slowly- trying not to wake her -I leaned in and kissed her forehead before leaving, chocked up as I left the hospital in tears.

That was the last time I saw her alive.