Taken Away...

• Milana Kumykova, Grade 5
• Short Story
• 2020

Beep, beep, be--. The machine stopped beeping and everyone in the room gasped. Doctors rushed around Mandy, shaking her lifeless body, trying to get her back to life. But, alas, the coronavirus had completely taken away Mandy’s young body… Mandy was 19 and she worked as a maid for a wealthy family. Her parents died when she was three and she had no relatives. Mandy’s goal was to move to a larger city and get a proper job there, so she worked hard to earn money.

In December 2019, Mandy finally bought a cheap ticket, packed up her things and left for better life. As soon as Mandy got to her destination, she realised that the air was filled with smoke and there were people shouting everywhere. Luckily, a couple weeks later, Mandy was hired at a local market. Mandy was pleased that she had settled in so quickly.

One night, Mandy was getting ready for bed when she suddenly felt a headache coming on. As she was getting medicine for her headache, she started shivering. Mandy checked her temperature, and it was 38°C! It was late, so Mandy decided to go to the doctor the next morning. The doctor found out Mandy had an extremely dangerous virus. She was rushed to a special hospital and placed in an isolation ward. She was devastated and couldn’t believe what had just happened. Suddenly she heard a voice:
“I wish I could go back to my family…
”The voice sniffled a couple times. Mandy looked over and saw a young man lying next to a window.
“Are you okay?” Mandy asked
“Oh... I’m sorry...” the man stammered, wiping off his tears and avoiding Mandy’s gaze.
“It’s fine, I was just wondering if you were okay.”
Silence...
“So, um, what can you see outside?” Mandy asked, trying to make small talk with the man.
“Oh, so much… trees, grass, flowers…” the man described to Mandy what was going on outside and she listened to his soft voice in awe.
“It must be pleasant to be right next to a window!" Mandy exclaimed.
“Yes, it’s lovely but when you know you might never go outside again, it makes you feel very upset.” the man answered. Mandy gazed at him with shining eyes, for he was a handsome man, young, with a mop of brown hair on his head and emerald eyes. The man caught Mandy staring and chuckled.
Mandy went bright red and asked,
“What’s your name?”
“I’m Miles, and you are…?” Miles replied.
“My name is Mandy...”
The two spent the next week talking and whenever they were allowed out of the ward they would go together.
But soon, something horrible happened. Mandy didn’t know when it would happen but had a feeling it would. Mandy held Miles’s limp hand as the doctor phoned his family. Miles was wheeled away and Mandy was left alone, feeling worse than ever. She had grown to love Miles, but deep down, Mandy knew that she was extremely lucky to have found someone she loved.
In about a week, Mandy’s funeral was also taking place.