Rude Awakening

At dawn I became aware that there were seven people watching me.

Standing directly over me with a stethoscope pressed to my chest was Doctor Melville and his assistant Nurse Jean. By my bed was my brother Hue and in a chair by the door was his wife May. In the far corner I could see two young men, dressed in plain overalls, standing there looking solemn.

But even though I wasn't used to such an odd crew in my home, it was none of these people that surprised me as much as the seventh guest. As the Doctor leaned back he shook his head as a man with a thin, gaunt face and cold gray eyes leaned in and took a long hard look at me.

It seemed like a millenia before he finally looked up at Doctor Melville. The Doctor closed his eyes for a moment, as if thinking, and finally spoke. "Strangulation, Coroner Brezby."

I heard May gasp as she burst into tears and Hue made a sudden jerking movement as if he had been slapped. I saw the coroner give the two young men from the corner a little nod and they finally stepped out into the light. I could see that they were holding a long white sheet and as they stepped toward the bed the Doctor, Nurse Jean, and the Coroner all stood back. They began at my feet and very slowly pulled the long sheet up to my chest.

Just as the sheet was pulled over my head, I heard the coroner say "I always knew Jack was a bad man... Strangling his own wife... Yes, you can see the rope burns just there... I'll notify the sheriff right away..."

And then it all made perfect sense to me. As I felt them lift my body from the bed onto another, firmer surface, I realized with much pain that it was over... I was dead...