Cancer Perks

• Isobel O'brien, Grade 6
• Short Story
• 2018

Cancer Perks
Cassie was only 12 when she was diagnosed with brain cancer, they told her she had a brain tumour growing in her mind, consuming all her memories, Cassie didn’t think much of it at the time. She thought it was just like head lice, that there were treatments, that she would survive. But when Cassie turned 16 everything changed.
Deep in the prefrontal cortex, Giro the brain tumour was snacking away at the memory where it’s host’s sister, Dena was being born, the mixture of blood and sanitary products filled the air with an unpleasant odour and then, the screaming of the mother was replaced with the crying of Dena, the host rushed up to her young sister, and lifted her up in the air.
“Hello Dena.” The baby cooed.
Cassie placed her forehead onto Dena’s, and smelt hope. From that day on, Cassie and Dena where inseparable.
Giro was surprised by how realistic the scene was, Giro felt like he was there, while Cassie was somewhere else lying on the sofa, not in the moment at all. At this point in time Cassie was looking through her family tree, trying to find anyone who could of possibly caused her cancer, she was sipping from a Winne the pooh paper cup filled with champagne (cancer perks) and eating crackers.
Cassie eventually became bored and picked up her favourite book, drifting emotions, and read the first page, “life is a gift, a giving, and a sacred opportunity” At that point Cassie started to cry. “Why me!” she screamed.
The next night, Cassie was lying on the surgery bed, on life support with a G tube stuck up her nose. Around her, nurses and doctors where talking.
“Please, explain to us what happened” A kind nurse asked Dena, who was sipping out of a Styrofoam cup.
She replied, spluttering “She… She was lying in the bathroom floor, with a pool of… Of blood forming around her” Dena burst into tears.
The nurse sighed, “It is very common for teenagers suffering with cancer to attempt suicide. We assure to you that Cassie will be alright”
Dena nodded. “Thank you so, so, so very much, you cannot begin to imagine how much this means to me! I thank you so – “
The nurse placed her finger on Dena’s lips, “Hush baby”
The kind nurse walked up to the doctor.
“It is a suicide attempt, the sister is very distraught, they must be very close.”
The doctor nodded “I understand completely. We do have to perform a G tube extraction. Dena might want to leave the room for that”
The nurse nodded back “I’ll tell her that”
A couple of days later Cassie woke up, with an agonising head ache
“Ahh!” She yelled
There was suddenly a new type of energy circling the room
“Cassie!” Dena yelled, running over to her sister
Cassie smiled and hugged Dena. It was the best feeling Cassie had ever felt, she never wanted to let go.