Just a story...

Forcing his eyes open, the pounding was as fast and deep as the waters of the river where his Daddy had grown up. He'd never been there. But he'd heard stories of how there used to be elephants on his Grampa's farm and how they'd been washed away by that river. The light burned his eyes and made the pounding raise up against him in revolt over his brain.

A long time ago, maybe a year or so he thought, he would have been at school on a day like this. He would have wanted to run away and play in the sun instead of studying. Today he longed for that gray classroom and that cold desk. Was he on fire? No. Just the fever again.

Momma said that things like this happen because God's trying to punish somebody for something. Maybe not the person it happens to... but someone. Now he could feel her tears on his hand as she held it. Couldn't see her, just the light. But he felt her crying. She didn't say much about God lately.

As he thought about his Momma's tears he felt himself slip off. The pounding stopped. He just slipped off.

"Bye Momma."