Sacrifice

• Ashlee Thomas, Grade 9
• Short Story
• 2018

The familiar sound of the school lunch bell chimed.
The year 6 boys ended their intense rally of handball. All hot and sweaty, they trudged back towards their classrooms. Tyag wiped away the beads of sweat dripping from his dark shiny hair.
Looking back for his brother, Aayu, who also stood out from all the sandy colored, ‘Aussie’ kids, Tyag shouted out.
“C’mon Aayu!”
But Aayu didn’t move. He remained on the handball court, doubled over. Stunned, Tyag ran over to him. Aayu was looking really pale. His whole body was trembling. Sweat and tears dripped down his face. Without hesitation, Tyag called for the teachers. Aayu suddenly let out a loud moan as he clenched his stomach.
“Somebody help!” Cried Tyag, “HEELLPP!!”
Teachers hurried over to Aayu. Abruptly Aayu collapsed to the ground. Hitting his head he fell into the dark abyss of unconsciousness.
Aayu slowly awoke to the strong disinfectant smell of the hospital. He heard the sound of his adoptive mum’s trembling voice.
She turned to the sight of her confused son, trying to hold back tears, relieved he was alive.
“What happened?” Asked Aayu in a quiet but course voice.
“Your kidney failed,” replied his mum, “You needed an immediate operation to replace it.”
“Where is Tyag?” he asked.
His parents looked at each other, then back at Aayu.
“He’s right next to you.” Said his dad.
Aayu looked at his brother who was lying in a bed next to him.
“The only way the operation could have been successful was if someone with a healthy kidney had the same blood type as yours.” his dad continued, “You have a rare blood type and the best match was your brother.”
His mum interrupted, “So your brother insisted to do an operation to save you.”
“So he’s okay?” asked Aayu, looking back at his brother, assuming he was asleep.
“He is in a coma.” His dad said blankly, fighting off tears.
With great effort, Aayu turned towards his best friend to see his motionless body. The only sign of life now was the ventilator, making his chest rise and fall. It was upsetting seeing his brother look so defenseless. Aayu reached out for his hand and touched it.
“Now we are true brothers” he uttered eluding to the fact that he now had his brother’s organ. His eyes started feeling heavy and he gave way to sleep, still gripping his brother’s cold hand.
The shocking sound of an alarm broke Aayu’s sleep. Dazzled he looked around the room. The doctors were hurriedly rushing around Tyag, talking fast, all at once. Aayu looked over at his brother. It was hard to get a glimpse of him. Someone was desperately pumping down on his chest, an oxygen mask was being held on his face, another was prepping a defibrillator machine.
Just as Aayu was trying to comprehend what was happening the blue curtain was jerked across in front of him, as someone yelled the word “CLEAR!”