Unbeatable Pain

• Lara Al-Baghdadi, Grade 8
• Short Story
• 2020

A deep sigh escaped my mouth, I open my eyes to be greeted by the brightness of the sunlight, peeking through the closed curtain.
I blinked repeatedly until my eyes adjusted to the brightness.
I slowly pulled myself up from the bed and opened the curtains, seeing the brightly grown, coloured flowers, in 50 shades of blue, pink, red, orange.
The sound of muffled chatter was heard outside my room, interrupting the atmosphere of beauty.
“She is being well-properly fed and taken care of, but it seems to have taken the best of her”
Someone opened the door, making me snap my head towards it.
“Angel? How are you feeling?” An unfamiliar face approached me slowly.
I stood completely silent and turned back, looking at the tree that is slowly dying, more leaves falling second, by the second.
“Nothing will ever go back to how it used to be… Just like this tree” A raspy whisper was heard from me.
There was a silence for a moment until the birds’ chirp, brightening up the darkness of my words.
“Cancer is unbeatable… For some people” I felt a tear roll down my cheek as I look at the mirror.
Lifeless.
I looked at my glassy eyes that glistened.
“Maybe one day, we will find a cure”
“When I’m gone” I look away from the mirror and felt the wind outside, tickling my delicate arm, causing goosebumps to crawl up my skin.
“Angel! I need to show you something!”
I heard the voice of a real angel outside my hospital room.
“Sparrow!” I take a couple of steps to get out of my room.
She jumped around in Joy, her bright brown hair bouncing along with her.
“Come on! I have great news!”
I smile and look at the man.
After taking a final glimpse of him, Sparrow dragged me to her room, which was right next to mine.
“I made a friend!” She runs towards the window and smiles at the little blue bird, sitting on the window frame.
“That—”
“Angel… I heard you aren’t going to last any longer”
“It happens” I try my best to pull off my best smile.

-

After a couple of months pass by, I got weaker and weaker, even if it was hard for me to walk, I didn’t let it stop me.
“I have to go see Sparrow; I can’t ever miss her birthday!”
Excitement rushed through me since it has been a while since I saw the reason why the earth is colourful, because of her.
I rush towards her room and dash in.
“Sparrow!” I scan the room to see no one was there except for her nurse.
“Sparrow isn’t here” The nurse glances at me.
“Where is she? She got discharged?! Without even telling me?” I look down to my feet, mood dropped.
“No Angel… She is… dead”
I felt the world around me stop.
It was hard to breathe and my ears were blocked.
“Pain is unbeatable"