Cancer

• Ella Zio, Grade 7
• Short Story
• 2016

One night when everyone was asleep, Bella lay in her room wide awake thinking. She was thinking about her best friend Hannah. She was going to visit her tomorrow and was excited. Hannah had cancer but it was much more serious than Bella’s. Hannah and all the other kids in the hospital have to stay there by themselves; the parents aren’t allowed to stay overnight because the doctors want the parents to get rest at home. As Bella relaxed, she became sleepy. Soon she just couldn’t keep her eyes open and she drifted off to sleep.
The next day Bella had a check-up at the hospital. She had one every week and she always looked forward to it because straight after her appointment, she was allowed to stay back at the hospital and go visit Hannah. Bella finished her check-up and raced to the children’s ward.
When Bella reached Hannah’s normal room, she wasn’t in there. She noticed a nurse outside the door and realized it was Makayla, Hannah’s nurse. Makayla was always so nice to the girls and has been looking after Hannah since she was five. When Makayla looked up from her paper, Bella noticed that she had been crying. “Oh.. hi Bella”, Makayla said as she wiped away the tears running down her cheek. “What’s wrong?” said Bella, “where’s Hannah? Has she been moved? Can you tell me what room she is in?” wher- Bella said Makayla sounding a little annoyed. “I don’t know how to tell you this Bella, but Hannah passed away last night”. Bella didn’t move, she couldn’t, it was like all the bones in her body had frozen and she couldn’t move a muscle. A few seconds later Bella started to cry, not like when you fall over or hurt yourself, it was a loud frightening cry that could be heard throughout the whole hospital.
One week later Bella was still lying in bed very emotional about her best friend. Then her mum walked in and said “are you ok?” “I’m a lot better now. Thank you for letting me stay at home this week, I really don’t want to go to school and let all the other kids see me cry”. “Nobody should have to go through this. It’s just not right for a young girl your age” said Bella’s mum.
That’s when Bella jumped up and said “I have an idea to make sure that nobody has to go through this, I’ll raise money for the hospital”.
For the next two weeks, Bella cleaned the neighbour’s cars, watered the plants, sold balloons at the shopping centre and even babysat the evil little girls next door who always made Bella clean up their dolls and stuffed animals. All together she made $247.50. Bella didn’t stop there. For the next four years she raised money for people with cancer.
Sadly, Bella passed away when she was 16. Bella was an inspiring young lady who tried her best to change the world for those that needed help.