October 23

• Alivia Raymond-pike, Grade 6
• Short Story
• 2011

October 23...
“Okay, Bye!” I said, hanging up the phone. I had just been talking to Annabelle. Annabelle is my best friend. I’ve known her since birth (we were born in the same ward, at, amazingly, the same time, take or add a few minutes) sixteen years and eleven months ago.

She’s organised some awesome parties for me, and I her. We`re having one, really soon. But this time, it will be different. This time, no one will really enjoy it. Why? It will be the party after my funeral.

What do you mean, you ask? Well......I have cancer. The doctors told me that I have one week left. So, I’m going to make the best of it. Back to reality.

I glanced at the time. “Oh my Gosh! I have to go!” I cried, jumping up from the computer. I had organised a date with my boyfriend, Noah. So, anyway, I’ll skip to when I got there.

I ran up the steps to Noah’s house and knocked on the door. A girl answered. “Hello?” she asked.
“Hello? Hi, I’m Esme, Noah’s girlfriend. Is he here?” I asked.
“Oh, he’s here. Hi, I’m Annabelle,” she giggled. “Come in.”
I walked in and plopped myself on the couch.
“So, Annie, what’s up? Is Terry coming tonight?” I asked.
“He said he’d be here in 5 minutes” she replied, sitting down.

DING – DONG!!!! “That’s him!” she cried. She answered the door. A deep voice greeted her, but I couldn’t make out the words.
Then Noah entered the room. I have no words. I’ll just say he looked exactly like his twin sister, Annabelle.
“Hi!” I gasped.
“Hi!” he replied, smiling.
Anyway, we went on our date. We went to the movies. It was fun. So when I got home, you can imagine how surprised I felt when I started feeling nauseous. I stumbled, and tried to tell Annabelle that I felt sick, but the words came out slurred.
“Annabelle...” I whispered in a barely audible whisper. Then, I was engulfed in darkness.

BEEP......BEEP......BEEP
The steady beep of the heart monitor was the first thing I heard. I tried to lift my head. I was in a bright white room. To my left was a heart monitor, and to my right were drips hanging out of my arm.
“Oooh, she’s awake!” cried a familiar voice.
I looked groggily down the end of the bed. There was Annabelle, her tear-stained face alight with relief.
“What happened?” I mumbled, trying to take everything in.
“We don’t know, sweetie”, said a nurse, lying me back down.
I couldn’t make sense of it. How long had I been here? Why was I–
“It’s my time” I whispered, realisation dawning on me like a ton of bricks.
“Sorry, sweetie?” said the nurse, looking confused.
I didn’t bother answering. I just took a deep breath.....my last breath and smiled a big smile. My last smile. I closed my eyes for the last time. It was October 23rd.

The End.