There was a hospital, a room in that hospital, with a single patient lying on a bed in wait. He looked at the clock, a sharp blue color in contrast to the dull, yellowish tones of the walls and the heart monitor, beeping as it went up and down and up and down. He watched the seconds tick by, the hand making a little click noise as it moved. The clock ticked from 11:58 to 11:59. A nurse walked into the room holding a cupcake with a single candle that said “25”, and placed it on the boy’s lap. A slight breeze blew through the room, rattling the wind chimes in the window and causing the candle’s flame to flicker. The nurse started singing happy birthday to the boy, and the wax began melting.

As the song finished, the boy’s family walked in through the door. They were all wearing formal black attire, with tears in their eyes. The father wiped at his eyes with an ornately decorated handkerchief. Everyone, including the nurse, surrounded the boy as he held the cupcake up to his mouth. As the boy blew out the candle in a whisper, so quiet that no one could hear, he said one thing:

“Let me see my family again.”

After that, the heart monitor turned to nothing but a flat line. He thought he could see a star go by on the horizon before passing out of sight, and the boy closed his eyes for the last time.

However, what felt like a second later, he opened his eyes again. But he wasn’t in the hospital. He was in a different, ethereal place, where everything, from the trees to the ground he was standing on, seemed to be woven out of pure light.

“Ah, here you are,” said a voice speaking in his ear. “I have been waiting for you.”

“Who are you?” the boy asked. “Why am I here?”

“You saw the star, didn’t you? I chose to grant your wish.” replied the voice.

“What do you mea…?” The boy was cut off as he looked up to see three silhouettes gleaming in the light above him, each reaching out to meet him.