The obnoxious noise
of my cell phone
sings on high volume
into my innocent ears.
My body,
out of pure instinct,
jumps from the
soft,
warm,
bright-colored
bedding and pillows,
in quiet
the dreaded noise.

Silence.

I lay for a moment.
Confused. Upset. Still.
The horrific hallucination
consumed my attention
while I slept . . .

My rock,
my hero,
my #1 fan
laying unconscious and limp
on his deathbed.
The harsh, blinding lights
of the white, frigid room
making me squint
my sorrowful brown eyes.
His eyes.

Tears streamed endlessly,
like a rapid river,
down my flustered face.
Five people hovered around him.
But to me, they were mere shadows.
Only he and I mattered.

I held his warm,
callused hand,
and with his last breath,
my father . . .

The obnoxious noise
of my cell phone
that sings on high volume
into my innocent ears,
saved me.