Number-one bestselling author
the room and
tried not to
shiver. The hospital
was cold, especially
so in my
gown with my
back exposed for
all to see.
The technician smiled
weakly at me.
It was late
and who knew
how many MRI’s
she still had
left to do.
She gestured to
the machine, sitting
larger than life
in the middle
of the room.
“Here are your ear plugs. And you even get a little party hat.”
She handed me
a disposable cap
that kept the
machine sterile. She
gestured again at
the MRI machine.
“I want you to lay down, putting your head here in this rest. I’m also going to prop a pillow under your legs.”
I nodded and
hefted myself up
onto the table.
I lay down
as she helped
me guide myself
into the proper
position. She attached
the camera that
would take close
pictures of my
head and neck.
This was the
moment I always
began to lose
it a little.
I felt I
was being shut
into a cage,
with no exit.
“Try not to move while the MRI is on.”
She said. I
knew I would
be able to
hear her voice
once I was
in the machine.
I nodded and
the table slid
into the long
metallic tube. My eyes
were closed and
despite whatever bravery
I possessed, my
eyes watered with
a few tears.
I opened them
and blinked a
few times to
chase the tears
away. It was
then that I
noticed the stars.
Someone had stuck
stars on the
inside of the
tube. I looked
at them and
marveled at the
sight of such
a happy thing
here. I heard
the clicks of
the machine starting
up and then
the MRI started,
shaking the table
that I lay on
as the magnetic
rings moved faster
and faster around
me. I closed
my eyes and
focused on my
breathing. After a
few breaths, I
was able to
breathe deeply. I
eased into
my breathing, letting
their rhythm compliment
the sounds of the
machine as it
thrummed around me.
After some time,
It began to
feel as if
I was sliding
out of the
magnetic tube. I
opened my eyes
and saw the
stars were still
in front of
me. I hadn’t
moved. I closed
my eyes again
and after a
moment, the sensation
of moving returned.
It was as if
an unseen wave
of water ran
beneath me, except
it wasn’t water,
but stars. I
could feel their
sparkle caress my
skin. I was
still moving, sliding
out of the
machine. I heard
a voice speak
in my ear.
“You’re doing so well. We’re almost done. Just a few more minutes.”
I opened my
eyes and saw
the sky, filled
with sparkling stars.
They joined with
the ones that
held me aloft.
I floated there,
held by a sea
of stars. It
seemed like I
could look into
them forever and
never see the
end. Below me,
the machine began
one last loud
round of thrums,
bumps and beeps
It sounded like
the music that
stars would make,
unintelligible to my
human ears. The
the voice spoke
softly once more.
“You’re almost done. You better come back now. You’re almost done.”
I closed my
eyes and relaxed,
floating downward until
I felt the press
the sliding table
against my back.
The tickling of
the stars lessened
as the machine
began to settle
itself around me.
I felt the
stars leave from
beneath my body.
They slide out
as if made
of water. Then
the machine gave
one final click.
I opened my
eyes and was
once more looking
at the yellow
stars that someone
had stuck inside
the machine. I
said a silent
note of thanks
to that technician
as those stars
had given me
a way to
float amongst the
stars that came
from forever. As
I walked out
of the room,
I looked behind
me and saw
that I left
behind a trail
of stars, sparkling
in the air.
I almost reached
out to touch
them, to run
my fingers through
them. Instead, I
made a wish
on one of
them and hoped
that it would
come true.