That night, following my interaction with the Godmother, I was engulfed in an impenetrable darkness. I felt adrift in a sea of dark shadows, as an acute feeling of hopelessness embraced me with tenacity. Then, unexpectedly, a beam of light pierced the gloom, gradually expanding over me. Its warmth, reminiscent of the Godmother's comfort, instantly dispelled all fear and doubt the moment it touched me.

As the light grew, a figure slowly materialized within its brilliance—it was Amanda. She reached out to me, and without hesitation, I moved towards her, our fingers entwining, embodying the connection and shared emotion between us. A smile lit up her face, a reflection of deep love and understanding that I could clearly see in her eyes.

"I am sorry, I couldn't do anything for you. I tried the best I could, yet I was unsuccessful in gaining more time for us."

Miraculously, I stood up from my wheelchair effortlessly, an ability that had eluded me for a long time. Gently, I took her hand and pressed it against my cheeks, closing my eyes to savor the softness of her touch, a sensation I thought I'd never feel again.

"You don't need to blame yourself for anything.," Amanda said. "I chose to be with my family, there was nothing you could really do about it."

As she spoke those comforting words, a man and a woman emerged into the luminous embrace, their likeness to Amanda undeniably clear—they were her parents.

"Before I met you, I was alone, struggling against life's tumultuous currents by myself. But your journey doesn't have to mirror mine. You are surrounded by love—parents who adore you, friends who value you deeply. These are the pillars upon which you can build a meaningful life."

"I just wanted to be around you as long as I could."

"I will always be close to you. Just because I'm no longer here in a physical form, it doesn't mean I've forgotten about you."

Taking my hands, she gently placed them over her heart. "Do not mourn my passing, for I continue to exist in spirit and soul. I will live on in your memories, forever a part of you, and I'll be there to support you whenever you need me most."

I woke up abruptly, my mother shaking my hands to grab my attention. "Sammy the time is past 10 o'clock in the morning. You haven't taken your medicine yet."

Beside my bed, a plate of breakfast was placed on a folding table, presumably left there by the nurse who allowed me some rest after last night's events. Amanda's teddy bear, lying next to me, served as a gentle reminder that her spirit continued to watch over me.

"That is a beautiful teddy bear. Who gave it to you?" My mother asked.

"It was Amanda's. She passed away last night." Saying this brought the pain of her loss to the surface again, and tears started to well in my eyes, as I remembered the moment the Godmother took her away.

"Oh, sweetie!"

As my mother moved to embrace me, a shadow flitted across my window. It was then I realized that everything around me had paused—my mother frozen in place, my father's action of pouring coffee into a mug halted, with the coffee seemingly suspended in mid-air. Time itself had stopped, and I was the only one aware of it.

"Let's hope this conversation is brief and to the point." The Godmother had appeared in my room once again, but her appearance had drastically changed from before. She now wore a black crown and sported a pair of black wings that unfurled to span the length of the room.

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

"I have granted you a chance to speak with Amanda. I am pleased that you were receptive to the invitation."

"Thank you, that meant a lot to me. I understand now why she couldn't accept the wish I had for her. But I can't move past her death; it feels like there's a fire burning inside my heart."

"That's the power of love, Samuel. You possess something truly remarkable, a feeling so potent that even I find myself envious. To live through such a deep emotion, being able to shed tears, to feel despair to a point, that your heart begins to crumble, those are emotions I'll never be able to experience."

Her words filled my heart with anger, bringing sadness and tears back into my eyes. "There is nothing to be jealous about!"

Acting on impulse, I rose from my bed, moving past my mother who remained motionless in time. With tears streaming down my face, I retrieved the pen from beneath my pillow and extended it towards the Godmother. "Here, take your artifact back. In exchange, I want you to bring her back, along with her parents."

The Godmother's face fell into an expression of disappointment. "The exchange must be equal; you are aware of the rule."

After a moment's consideration, without any hesitation, I nodded in agreement. "I'll exchange my life for Amanda's. It's the only way I can contribute to her happiness."

Closing her eyes, the Godmother seemed to contemplate my offer deeply. As she did so, the room started to tremble, a physical manifestation of the significant choice being considered. "Are you truly prepared to exchange your life for hers? For a girl you've only recently met?"

To seal the deal, I voiced the words: "This, I wish from my heart."

A blinding light burst forth from the Godmother's hands, engulfing the room as the pen began to fade from existence. I closed my eyes, ready to accept the consequences of my decision, assuming, this was the only to repay Amanda's kindness. However, contrary to my expectations, nothing happened.

"Your emotions are guiding your decisions, young Samuel. While I possess the power to do many things, resurrecting the dead violates the natural laws governing the cycle of life. I am sorry, but I cannot bring back those who have passed."

With my fists clenched tightly, a wave of anger surged through me, fueling a tempest of emotions. I lashed out, grabbing anything within reach and hurling it toward the Godmother in a futile attempt to express the turmoil within. After expending every last ounce of energy, I found myself kneeling before her, consumed by a deep sense of defeat and helplessness.

"I don't understand. Why does it hurt so much? Before I met her, I was aware that my time was nearly up. I had come to believe that my parents would be better off without me, that my absence would lift the burden I thought I had become to them. And now, the one thing that had brought me a semblance of joy and purpose has been ripped away from me, through a choice I never consented to."

"Young Samuel, life is inherently filled with uncertainties. Every choice we make carries its own set of consequences and learning experiences. It's important to learn from them, to rise, and to move forward once more."

She then summoned the pen back into existence and extended it towards me. "I must return this to you, as the wish you sought could not be fulfilled."

"I don't want it. Please, give it to someone else."

"That's not how this works. I entrusted the pen to you because I recognized the purity of your heart. I believe in your capacity to make others feel valued and to inspire hope. You shouldn't abandon your own journey simply because of a setback. Be thankful for the time you were able to spend with her. Hold onto those memories and let them enrich your life."

"What's the point? I will be gone soon anyway."

The Godmother responded not with words, but with a gentle touch on my shoulder, and immediately, a surge of energy coursed through my body, invigorating me in a way I hadn't felt before. "Your willingness to sacrifice your own life has imbued you with the Pen's power. When the time comes for you to express your final wish, I will return to free your soul."

In an instant, the Godmother disappeared, leaving no trace of her presence. Time resumed its natural flow, taking my parents back into the ordinary rhythm of life. My father, caught in the act of overfilling his coffee cup, was oblivious to the sudden shift. My mother, quick to react, turned to assist him, unaware of the transformation occurring behind her.

"Ray! Stop it, you're making a mess on the floor."

"Martha... look behind you," my father said, his voice imbued with surprise as he finally noticed me, standing independently in the center of the room, a sight he hadn't expected.

Drawing in a deep breath, I stood there, absorbing the reality of the moment and the gift the Godmother had imparted to me. The energy that filled me, the sense of purpose, and the power now residing within, it all felt like I had been given a second chance to a new life.