Poetry and Short Writings by Paul Lee

Rush
By Paul N. Lee

Just fifty-eight days ago Marissa was a healthy, bubbly little six-year old with ambitions of
becoming a geneticist. Now she is in a race for time. Little Marissa only has a few hours
remaining before Sharon Winfrey will have to face her worst nightmare. Sharon’s search for help uncovers a resolution – a costly cure for a rare form of terminal cancer that spreads throughout its host’s body rapidly.

“I got you baby. Mommy’s coming.” Sharon says looking through the glass incubator that
Marissa is fading away in. The drug – Razool shows promise in its second clinical trial in
defeating Hyperlarioblastoma and would take Sharon’s entire seven figure bonus that she had
received two days prior, but she doesn’t care. She is a corporate marketing executive. Her talent commands value. Her daughter’s life is worth more than anything in life.

“I can’t work late today. I have to get to my baby, Tom.”

“I understand, God speed.”

As Sharon is on her way to St. Jude’s to meet with the doctors who will administer the risky
drug, traffic is bumper to bumper this evening.

“Ughh, not today, not now,” Sharon said looking for an exit. “Hold on baby, I’m coming.”

“The rain is relentless” the meteorologist reports in surround through Sharon’s Tesla Roadster
“…expect to see eight to twelve inches of…”

“DRIVE NOW,” the desperate voice belted as the invader slammed the passenger door.

“I…wait, I… can’t do this, my little girl.”

“I ain’t going to jail either, bitch – DRIVE,” the abductor said pressing the gun behind Sharon’s ear. Sharon sees the flashing lights of the police cruiser three cars back and veers into traffic, making a hard near fatal right turn. The cops give chase. She looks in her rear view mirror and sees her kidnapper – a tiny breath of a girl who is also scared.

“Turn left,” the kid said.

“Where do you need me to go?”

“SHUT UP.”

“Please, please just tell me where you need me to go. I, I, might know a quicker way.” The girl’s sobbed blood shot eyes met Sharon’s, her body relaxed, the gun dropped slightly, “St. Jude’s Cancer Research for Children. My kid brother – I only have one last hour to spend with him before he dies.”