This story is inspired by an incident which happened in my family. It took me a few days to write this, because English is not my first language. The story has 809 words.

The Decision

Paul sat in his favourite chair in the sitting room and looked at the Christmas tree and the decorations his sister Anne had put up. She left a view minutes ago to do some last minute shopping. It was Christmas eve so it would take her some time to come back. On the side table stood a glass of water and an empty bottle of sleeping pills. Paul lost his job and his best friend Frank on the same day, because he betrayed him. Over the last three years they had been partners in a quite successful little IT-company. Paul started gambling again in last year, after a long time of abstinence, even though he had promised Anne and Frank not to gamble anymore. Of course he lost and made a very bad choice in taking money out of the company´s bank accounts. Frank decided to pay out a Christmas bonus to everybody in the company this year and checked the accounts for this, so he found out, what Paul had done. Paul had hoped to have more time to pay the money back, but that didn´t work out obviously.

While he sat there the effect of the pills set in and he got very sleepy. He closed his eyes only to open them wide again, when a bright light penetrated his eyelids. In shock he looked around just to find the figure of an elderly woman stepping out of the light. He recognized his Grandmother Felicity who died 5 years ago. They always been very close and he missed her advice and warm heart. "Grandma, are you coming to accompany me into the great beyond?", Paul asked with hope in his voice. "No, dear, I´m coming to save you from yourself as your personal Ghost of Christmas past. ", she answered and he could hear the well known humor in her voice. Paul turned away. "I´m not deserving to be saved. I have disappointed Frank and if Anne finds out what I have done, she will hate me." "I have to show you something that might change your mind.", saying that she pulled him up from the chair and they walked into the light.

When the light vanished he found himself at his favourite lake. He saw himself as a boy of ten again and it was Christmas eve. Paul and his friends wanted to skate on the ice and a few other boys were already there. When he stepped on the ice he could hear a cracking sound and jumped back. The ice wasn´t thick enough. He warned his friends and called out to the other boys to come back, but it was already too late for one of them. Paul could hear a cry when the boy broke into the ice. Without hesitation Paul grabbed a fallen branch of a tree, got to his knees and crawled onto the ice. When the ice cracked again he got even on his belly. The other boy was crying and Paul tried to calm him down. "I´m nearly there .", he said reaching out with the branch. After a few vain tries the boy caught the branch and Paul pulled him out with his whole strength by crawling backward.

Both boys reached save ground breathless and exhausted. Some parents had been called and brought blankets with them. The name of the boy Paul saved this day was Frank. So their friendship begun.

In this moment the light appeared again and Paul found himself back in his chair. His grandmother was still there looking at him with sad eyes. " Are you sure, you want to die, just because you don´t want to confront your shame. Do you really think the people who love you are so poor-spirited?" Paul remembered this tone from many times he failed her. "But how can they forgive me?", he asked broken-hearted. " You will see, if you don´t give up, everything will fall in place. But you have to make the decision to live. You have to call an ambulance and stay awake until it arrives. Fight for your life the way you did for Frank´s. It is still time." With these words and an warm smile she walked back into the light she came from. The light vanished and it got very dark after it´s brightness. "She is right as always. I haven´t been a coward all my live.", he thought. With his last energy he pulled out his mobile and called 911.

Two years later - on Christmas eve - Paul was sitting with Frank, Anne and his own wife Sybille in front of the fire. "You could have died two years ago and we would never have met.", Sybille said with a frown. From the other side of the room came the giggling sound of baby Felicity.

809 words