Jamie

• Yeokyung Kim, Grade 9
• Short Story
• 2011

It has been about two years, since we found out that Jamie had the Lou Gehrig’s disease. I still remember the day we found out that she had the disease. It was a rainy Monday, mum, dad, Jamie, my little sister Krystal and I walked in to the hospital. I was holding Krystal’s hand and waited near the seats, but didn’t bother sitting down. We had to wait for 4 hours to see the doctor, it was really stupid. When Jamie came out, she had a blank face. Her face was pale so I asked what happened, what was wrong with her. She said she doesn’t know, she just felt sick. So I followed her to the toilets and waited, it was then, mum came out crying. I had never seen her crying before. I didn’t know what was going on but I walked over to her and hugged her. She cried for hours, and slowly opened her mouth and told me that Jamie had this disease called ‘Lou Gehrig’s disease.’ Krystal didn’t know what it was-and I didn’t either- but she started crying too because mum was crying. That day, I spent all day looking up the Lou Gehrig’s disease. It said that it is a disease of the nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord that control voluntary muscle movement. Cells start to die and patients won’t be able to move or talk properly. It also said that the disease usually occurs to people over 50. However, Jamie was only 12. Who was excited about going to high school next year, who had the most beautiful smile I have ever seen in my whole life, was going to die of this painful and incurable disease. Ever since the day we went to the hospital, Jamie would ask us what was wrong with her. But we didn’t tell her that she had Lou Gehrig’s disease, if we did she would’ve searched it on the internet and see what happens if you get the disease. Day by day, Jamie was getting thinner and she couldn’t move properly. I saw mum crying about six million times after Jamie had the disease. 2 years later, which is now, Jamie can’t move even the tiniest amount. She can’t think properly like a 14 year old too, her brain cells have died so she can’t think properly either. I don’t know if she still remembers me, her older sister Jane. At about 3 O’ clock, I went to the hospital’s cafeteria and bought a milk tea. I came back to where Jamie was but I saw loud mourn, it was mum. I quickly rushed in and found out that Jamie had passed away. I didn’t cry. I just didn’t know how to react to someone’s death. My sister’s death. I went behind mum and hugged her, just like how I hugged her 2 years ago. Hoping Jamie would’ve gone to a better place.