Mate Memory

• Kayla Connaughton, Grade 11
• Poetry
• 2013

Darcy’s eyes flashed open, his eyes moved around the room until they focused on his mate Andy. Andy lay still on a bed, his eyes closed and no movement was detected. The heartbeat monitor flashed slowing as Andy took a breath in. Darcy sat up in his bed as he looked for his arm, but when he went to move it, there was no movement. He tried to remember back to when he was at war with his two mates Andy and Bob. Suddenly, he remembered the bombing and how it had injured him and his mate Andy. Cold tears fell down his face as he looked back at mate; the pain felt as if he was shot 100 times.
Suddenly, Darcy heard the room door open and turned to see who had entered the room. It was a beautiful nurse with brown long hair; she walked to Darcy and picked up a clipboard which was attached to Darcy’s bed. “Could you please lay back down for me so I can check how your arm is”, the nurse said in a gentle voice. Darcy laid down for the nurse and then she took a look at Darcy’s arm. His arm had been cut all the way up to his shoulder. The nurse smiled at Darcy, “Your arm should be fine, but if you could stay a little longer, I could check it again if it has had any further changes. Yet, Darcy wasn’t worried about his arm, he was more worried about Andy who was still silent and still. As Darcy stared at his mate, the nurse explained to him that Andy was not in good shape and might not be able to exit the hospital.
Darcy looked back at the nurse for a second to see why she had suddenly become silent. When he looked up at her face, he was shocked to see her eyes gawking towards Andy. Darcy looked back at Andy but saw nothing out of the ordinary and wondered what the nurse was looking at. All of a sudden, the nurse quickly ran towards Andy screaming ‘…..’. She pressed a button on the wall and a whole lot of doctors and nurses ran into the room. Darcy jumped out of his bed and tried to walk closer to Andy but was unable to get close because one of the doctors pushed him away and told him to stay back. Darcy looked at Andy’s heartbeat monitor and saw the line was nearly straight. Panic grew in the room with each passing second. Darcy stared at Andy while the doctors and nurses took Andy away on his bed. For a second, Darcy saw Andy’s eyes open and look at him and then they closed slowly like it was the last time he would ever open his eyes.
As Darcy sat in the room alone, he prayed for the first time, for Andy to survive, for Bob to keep safe on the battlefield and also for himself to survive as well. Darcy felt sadness pour within him, but his sadness was not shown upon his face. He felt alone and useless like there was no one left that he could help. Darcy walked towards the small oddly shaped window, and stared out to see the street of France.
The nurse suddenly opened the door with a smile on her face. Darcy turned to face her, hoping it was good news. The nurse told Darcy in a sad voice about Andy’s condition and about how he might not make it. “But….” The nurse added in a happy tone, “….he is awake now and wishes to see you”. Darcy’s face widened into a smile, he felt hope flow through his veins and also felt his praying might have worked; he walked towards the door, his hand on the knob as he walked out of the opened door. He walked down the corridor, knowing in his heart that even if Andy didn’t make it, that mates will forever be mates.