Cancer

• Olivia Spandrio, Grade 8
• Short Story
• 2018

I stared at her wondering what the hell to say. How do I tell the happiest person alive, that I’m dying?
I wanted to tell her earlier, so many times I’ve almost told her, but then she looks at me, with her warm happy brown eyes, and all my troubles – even cancer – seem to fade, just for a second.
Maddison, who was currently laughing her ridiculously gorgeous laugh and smiling her smile that could light up any room that caught a glimpse of it, was watching cat videos on the couch in the lounge room. I curled up next to her, holding her tiny hand in mine, and traced all the lines across her small palm.
“Jackson? Oh my goodness, you must see this. The little cat was sitting on the step, and then he got scared and poof – he fell off,” she giggled so hard her body shook, her smile was so infectious, I couldn’t help it – but the corners of my mouth started to turn up into a grin. “Just watch Jackson… you need to see this.” I watched the screen, a ginger cat with bright orange stripes fell off the ledge, just like she said. Maddison shook with laughter, when it suddenly dawned on me what I was keeping from her. I’ve known for months that I’m ill, and the joy of my life doesn’t have a clue. This was going to break her just as much as it has broken me. I quickly turned off her laptop.
“Hey!” she shrieked loudly, “what was that for?”
“Maddison?”
“Yes?” she looked at me.
“Remember when we were small, and we used to over-water mum’s plants.” I stared into her eyes.
“Yes, yes I do. We watered them so much, we almost killed them all, she used to get so mad at us.” Her eyes filled with tears. “But you always took the blame for me.”
“You know I love you.”
“Aw, big bro…” Maddison laughed gently. Slowly, tears started to spill over and down onto her cheeks. “I love you too.”
I now wish I hadn’t spent so many Mondays wishing they were Fridays, and I regret when I was little wishing to grow up so fast. I wish I hadn’t used all my birthday wishes on pointless things – and had wished to live a long happy, healthy life with my family.
“I’m dying.” The words spilt out my mouth and I quickly looked down at my feet.
“Well, yeah, no kidding. We all die eventually, Jackson, did it only just occur to you now?” Maddison chortled.
“No… Maddison.” I gazed into her eyes once more, only just noticing now that her eyes had small gold flecks in them, just near the pupil; reminding me of specks of sunlight coming in through the trees. Her eyes opened wide with shock, understanding I was serious.
“Oh God, what Jackson? What is it?”
“I have cancer.”