2021 Short Story Writing Contest Grand Prize Winner

Fly High

Sara E Belanger / Contemporary / April 10 2021

“He needs a heart transplant.”

Those were the only words Josephine heard. Tears stung her eyes as she peered through glass windows at her son, Simon. His chocolate hair grew uneven and choppy as a stark reminder that she had tried to cut his hair to save money. She could remember his brilliant smile minus a front tooth as he thanked her for the best haircut ever. His auburn eyes gleamed with the profound love only a son could hold for his mother. It had been a while since she last saw a smile that lit up his puppy-dog eyes. Simon was only five years old but he was such a small boy; he barely took up half of the hospital bed. Needles and patches invaded his little arms and chest as if he were a pincushion. Snake-like wires hung from machines and fought off Death’s hands with every second of the day.