A Moment of Stillness

Ashley sighed, and everything stopped. The beeping of the machines surrounding her bed ceased, the steady rhythm that had been a constant presence in the room for weeks silenced. The tears that had been streaming down Susan's face halted, frozen in mid-air as if time itself had been suspended. The room was quiet, the only sound the soft hum of the hospital's ventilation system. Ender's lips, which had been brushing against Ashley's forehead, stilled, his eyes locked on hers in wonder. Susan's gaze, which had been fixed on her daughter's face, held steady, her breath caught in her throat. Ashley's chest, which had been rising and falling with shallow breaths, stilled. Her eyes, which had been closed, slowly opened, and she looked at her mother and Ender with a curious expression. For a moment, the three of them just looked at each other, the only movement the faint flicker of Ashley's eyelids. Then, slowly, a small smile spread across Ashley's face. "Mom?" she whispered, her voice weak but clear. Susan's face crumpled, and she reached out, her hand trembling as she brushed a strand of hair out of Ashley's face. "Ash?" she whispered back, her voice barely audible. Ashley's gaze drifted to Ender, and she smiled again, a faint smile that lit up her face. "Ender?" she whispered. Ender's face, which had been etched with grief, slowly relaxed, and he smiled back at Ashley. "Ash, kiddo," he whispered, his voice shaking with emotion. The room was still, the only sound the soft hum of the hospital's ventilation system. But in that moment, it was as if time itself had been rewound, and Ashley was back, her spirit and her body reunited. Susan's eyes filled with tears again, but this time, they were tears of joy and wonder. She looked at Ender, and he nodded, a small smile on his face. "Is this...?" Susan started to ask, her voice barely above a whisper. Ashley's gaze drifted back to her mother, and she nodded, a small nod that was almost imperceptible. "I think I'm okay, Mom," she whispered. The room was still, but in that moment, everything had changed.