Body Surfing

family. People touched her arm, her shoulder. She knew they expected her to make the right gesture.
    She looked down at her mother’s face. The pink cheeks, the little glow on her forehead. Courtney really had done an amazing job with the makeup.
    Her mother’s eyelids twitched and Alison started. The doctors had told her that was normal. She’ll dream right until the very end, they said. That’s why it was important to make sure she felt safe, loved. To keep her dreams safe as well. To ease the transition. But Alison found herself unnerved by how vital her mother looked. Better than she had in years.
    Another cough. Booker really wasn’t subtle, was he? She took a deep breath. She had thought about what she was going to say for a long time.
    “Mom,” she said. “We’re all here, Mom.” She took her mother’s hand. “Whenever you want to let go, Mom.”
    Her mother’s hand felt warm in hers. Hot even, and firm.
    “Whenever you want to let go, Mom, we’re here with you.”
    But Patricia Myles didn’t let go. In fact Alison could’ve sworn she was squeezing back. She looked up at Nancy, smiled nervously.
    “Whenever you want to, Mom,” she repeated, a nervous tremor in her voice. “Whenever you, when you, when—”
    “Alison?” Nancy said. “Is everything okay?”
    “Ow!” Alison said. “Mom, stop! You’re hurting me. Let go, Mom! Let go!”
    “Alison! What’s going on?”
    Alison was desperately trying to pull her hand from her mother’s. The old woman’s arm jerked in her shoulder but she didn’t release her grip.
    “Mom, let go! You’re hurting me! Let go, Mom! Let—aah!”
    There was a wet snap then, less like knuckles cracking than balloons popping under water, as six bones in Alison’s hand broke, and then Patricia Myles’s eyes snapped open. A strange light swirled in their depths.
    She didn’t look at all happy to be alive.