"Mr. Michael Strong?" the receptionist asked the man in front of her desk.
"Yes, Ma’am, I am Michael Strong," the man said.
"It is good to have you here, Mr. Strong," the receptionist said with a smile. “I believe you would like to meet with Dr. Richard?”
“Michael nodded. “Yes, please.”
"You are very brave and kind to do this,” she said.
Michael took his eyes off her face which glowed with admiration. He bit the inside of his lip, uncomfortable at the praise.
"Thank you," Michael said, scratching his jaw. He felt a short stubble on his chin. He thought to cut it but didn’t feel much inclined. "When do I meet the family though?"
"Today actually," the receptionist said. "They are waiting on the second floor. Please take the stairs and then go right and into Dr. Richard's office. You won’t miss it."
"Thank you," Michael said. "And good day to you."
----------------------------------------
Michael said his goodbyes and navigated the halls. The hospital was a large building, and a sharp medicinal smell permeated throughout the place. People moved to and fro—nurses, patients, and doctors. Every day sick people entered the hospital, and while many left healed, some weren’t so fortunate.
Michael found the staircase where a bright beam of light intruded through a window above the first set of stairs. He kept his eyes on the steps as he ascended them and found himself a little out of breath when he reached the second floor. He looked around and saw nobody was looking at him.
Michael took a right to another set of halls. He gave a look at the epitaphs above the rooms. He happened upon an open one and over it, it said:
Dr. Richard Hendricks, Surgeon
Inside he saw three people were seated—the good doctor at his desk, and a man and woman across him.
----------------------------------------
"Thank you so so much, Mister," the woman said holding Michael’s hands. "You don't know what you have done for us, or for our sweet Ana." Her cheeks were stained with tears, but she smiled beautifully. Michael’s heart was filled with sympathy.
Michael searched for words to speak. What could he say to alleviate a pain as deep as her’s? But before he could, the man spoke with a hard glare in his eyes.
"I hope you are not lying coming to here," the man said. "You mustn’t think this as a joke, boy. My daughter is everything to us and God bless if you—"
"Hush, Thomas," the woman said, glaring at her husband and then returned her gaze back to Michael. "I apologize for my husband here. He is very worried for Ana. You must understand what we are going through."
The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.
"I understand," Michael said. "I can see she means a lot to you”—He met Thomas’ eyes—“I am not lying. I am going to do it.”
When Michael made his remark, Thomas’ eyes softened and he looked very tired. His whole demeanor changed and he looked an old person.
"Thank you, Michael," He said in a soft voice.
----------------------------------------
Dr. Richard asked the couple to wait outside. He said he wanted to have a private conversation with Michael. The couple left with a polite nod towards Michael. As they left, Dr. Richard closed the door shut and then sat at his desk. Michael felt a little nervous when he took a seat opposite him.
They sat in silence for a few seconds as if both didn’t know what to speak to the other. Michael would not dare break the silence. Michael observed the doctor. Dr. Richard appeared a little shorter than him, had graying hair, and trimmed spectacles. He wore the doctor's white coat and adorned a stethoscope around this neck. He looked a typical physician and Michael was certain about it, a learned man.
Dr. Richard was the one to break the monotony.
"Michael, do you know what you are doing?" Dr. Richard asked.
"Yes, doctor," Michael said. "I am donating my organs."
"Do you understand it will kill you?"
"Yes," Michael said without any hesitation. "I am willing."
Another silence filled the space. Dr. Richard stared at Michael as if trying to find a hint of fear in him. Would he call it off if he found Michael uncertain?
But Michael sat there with a determined face and nothing else.
"Wow," the doctor said, raising his eyebrows in a troubled expression. "You are serious about this. A reason why I didn’t want to talk it over the phone."
"Yes, doctor," Michael said. "I have said yes many times now."
"I did not mean to question you—alright, I did mean to question you. This is a very heavy subject, Michael and you are young," Dr. Richard said.
"I am twenty-one."
"Twenty-one is young. You haven't even started living properly yet."
"I think I have it better. Many people can't live their life. Ana being a prime example."
"Yes, but there are reasons for it."
"I have my reasons too," Michael pointed out.
"Are you doing this cause you don't want to live?"
"…If I am?"
"Sorry, that was, that was rude," Michael said, a bad taste in his mouth.
Michael rubbed his face at his own behavior. He knew he should not be talking to doctors in such a harsh tone. The doctor was looking out for him. He was just very much annoyed at being repeatedly questioned about his decision.
"No, it's ok," Dr. Richard said. "It is just that we haven't done this kind of surgery before."
Dr. Richard stood up and walked towards the window, looking out. "Our job is to protect human life. Of course, there is always an uncertainty that they will die," he sighed and turned to Michael. "But Michael, you will die."
Michael said nothing but just looked at him. Dr. Richard sat again and pulled out a file.
"Let me tell you the gist of it," Dr. Richards said. "You, Henry Strong, age 21, male, will be donating your heart, liver and a lobe of your lung for one Ana Fortier, age 19, female."
Michael nods.
"As you will a single donor, there is the case that there will be a lesser chance of rejection. But it will be very risky. It can fail. You will die in either case. So I need you to at least think this through."
"I may die," Michael said. "But I may, just maybe, be able to save her."
Dr. Richard sighed and gave a tight smile. He thought he could scare Michael or make him see a reason he might have left, but he was wrong. He pulled out a number of papers from the file.
"These are the papers I need you to sign," Dr. Richard said. "They tell that you are doing this at your own sane and conscious volition, have accepted to the donor screenings which basically will be to test if you have diseases, and that is basically it. You need to bring your next of kin."
"That won't be necessary," Michael said and started to read the papers.
"No, it is. Your next of kin is there to vouch for your history and collect your donor pay."
"I have a doctor with my full history," Michael said.
"Ok then, who receives the money?"
"Charity," Michael said, making Dr. Richard raised his eyebrow in question. "My parents are dead."