Cancer Companions

• Cleo Harris, Grade 6
• Short Story
• 2018

Cancer. It’s hard. I got diagnosed with it when I was 14 years old. I am now 16 and not much has changed. When I was fourteen the doctors said I would have some tough times. Nothing has been harder. I am still going through chemo and finally my hair is sprouting. All I do is sit around in the hospital waiting for a nurse to say I can go home for the night. Then the next day I am back at the hospital with doctors poking and prodding me all over again. My only dream is one day I will wake up and be fully better, but according to my forms, that’s not going to happen anytime soon.
“Sidney, sweetie,” Nurse Denise called “Meet Connor.” From that instant a boy with sandy blonde hair walked into my hospital room. He looked like an ordinary teenage boy. I thought he must be a visitor because nothing looked wrong with him. Then again I looked like an ordinary teen aswell. He had a half smile and took a step closer to me. “Hi, I’m Connor.” He casually said to me.
“Hi, I’m Sidney.” I replied half dazed by his deep blue eyes. I immediately dropped my book I was reading and stood to his attention.
“I’m apparently going to be room buddies with you in the day.” He put his bag on the opposite bed to mine
“What? I thought you were a visitor or something.”
“Ahh, no. I have cancer too. You do know that don’t you?”
“Of course. Make yourself comfortable.”
And from that day on we were best buds, until things changed.
Two years later
I couldn’t believe my eyes when the next day came round for me to return to the hospital. I was recovering well but when the nurse rushed in from my screams, Connor was getting worse.
“It’s obvious he’s fainted!” Nurse Celia panicked, “You stay right here. I am going to deliver him to surgery immediately!” And with that she was already racing his bed to surgery.
Four hours later
“I have some terrible news Sidney Carpenter,” The nurse came back to inform me. “Conner Wetheright has sadly passed away.” I fell to the round with a thud. “ I know how your feeling, especially since you are on such a smooth road to recovery.”
I’m well, he’s dead. Best friends for life, gone completely. I mouthed to myself.
“Hi, I’m Caprice Clauses. Is this room 34?” a quiet voice appeared in the doorway.
“Yes. I’m Sidney Carpenter. Are you here to replace Connor?” I asked her in gloom.
“I wouldn’t put it as replace. But I’m staying here.” She corrected me.
“Alright, do you want to play cards?”
“I’d love to! I used to play a game called three- up, three- down with my old roomie. Wanna learn?”
“Sure.” And from that day on Caprice and Sidney were new best buds.