Countdown

capter 1 - Where it all began

Beep beep beep...

The sound of the monitor was all he could hear his mother's voice in the background reassuring him everything would be alright "how can anything be alright"  he thought, just last week he was hopeful of the life he had ahead of him but today he is not so sure about it.
"How are you feeling, Rob?" The nurse snapped him out of his thoughts, bringing him back to reality
"I'm okay, I guess," he whispered under his breath
"Just a few more minutes and we'll be done for today" she smiled "you know you're quite lucky Rob, cancer like this isn't always caught this early" she said trying to sound reassuring before she walked out.
"There's nothing lucky about my situation." he turned to the window
"You'll be okay," mom said, trying to sound strong, but she wasn't so sure either.

    Two weeks earlier...

"Mom, we're gonna be late!" I called out to my mom, putting my shoe on.
"I know, I know" mom said with so much excitement rushing down the stairs trying to find her shoe.
"I know I'm not the one graduating today, but I can't help but be excited for you honey this is the one thing your dad and I have always wanted for you"
mum said excited still trying to find her shoe.
"I know I'm not the one  if I have to honk the horn one more time. I am leaving without you guys"
dad said, walking back into the house, looking tired of waiting in the car for us.
"So what are you going to do? Get the diploma for him." Mom said, putting her shoe on." Not really, I'll just go there and be like I'm his dad. Give it to me. I paid for tuition anyway." 
" relax Dad we are read. Let's go" I said, giving mum my hand to hold as we walked out the door, ready to go to my graduation ceremony.
................
Ladies and gentlemen please take your seat the ceremony is about to start. A voice announced over the speaker just has been got there.
"See you guys we are already late I just hope we can get a good seat" dad said trying to park the car in a hurry. "Don't worry honey we will" Mum reassured. "Yeah yeah well that's going before we actually-" cough cough.
My commentary got cut short due to this bad cough I've been having for the past few weeks now "we really need to get that cough checked on it's getting  worrisome" mum said
"yeah yeah we can go after the whole graduation thing okay" I said run out of the car not giving her a chance to respond to meet up with my friends leaving them to find their way to their designated seats.

Ladies and gentlemen the kinhigh academy class of 2011.

Cheers and celebration filled the air as we all ran to our parents after throwing our graduation caps in the air.
"I'm so proud of you son" my dad said hugging me tight something that is rear for both of us.
"Okay boys picture time" mom said all giddy and excited trying to work the camera
"Mr and Mrs Hill hey!" A familiar voice from behind said
"Hey Amber, congratulations!" Dad said trying push the little awkward moment aside.
"Thanks" she smiled at him and my mom before staring at me for what felt like a minute, giving me a half smile and then walking away. Amber and I decided to end our little high school romance a few days ago considering we were both going to different colleges in different parts of the country staying together didn't feel like something we could do, I love Amber but I'm not crazy about her and I think she felt the same way so ending it for us wasn't hard but for some reason it was definitely awkward seeing just now.

I was pulled out of my thoughts by another series of coughs that just won't seem to stop but this time it came with some light headedness, my vision became blurry and before I knew it everything went blank.

"We will do everything in our power to get to the bottom of this I assure you Mr and Mrs Hill" I woke up ot the sound of some beeping and the voice someone talking to my parents I looked around me and just like I guessed I was in a hospital.
"Mom" I whispered my throat dry and my chest felt heavy like I couldn't breath properly.
"Honey hey" mom whispered softly her eyes swollen from crying I'm sure "how are you feeling" she smiled placing her hand on my hair stroking it.
"Thirsty" was all I could say but in truth I felt like I've been hit by a truck five times.
"Hey Rob I'm Dr Cain" she smiled "tell me how you're feeling now"
I described to the best of my abilities how I was feeling, the heavy chest, not being able to breath properly and my throat which is as a result of all the coughing I guess.
"Okay" the doctor said with a worried expression on her face, turning towards to door to call a nurse.
"Everything is going to be okay bud" dad said with a weak smile on it's the first time he spoke since I had woken up and all I could do was nod.
"We will have to run some test to further know and confirm my suspicion but in the mean time hang tight and I'll see you after the tests Rob" the doctor said darting her eyes back and forth between me and my parents.
...........
The room is so quiet you can hear a pin drop we've been like this ever since I got back from getting those test, usually mom would say something dirty to which I'd reply with something even dirter and dad would say something along  the lines of "will the both of you grow up already" with an eye roll or a disappointed look on his face, but this time we sat in silence and I can bet I know what everyone is thinking of "what is wrong whit him" or "I hope it isn't something bad" are the thoughs running through their minds right now their faces says it all, our necks snapped towards the door hearing the footsteps of the doctor walk into the room bringing us all back from our little mind surfing as I like to call it. My heart sank looking at the doctor's face with an expression like that there's no way she has good news for us.
"Mr and Mrs Hill can I see you outside for a minute" she said pointing towards the door
"Say it" I said stopping them in their tracks
"What-"
"Say it doctor what's wrong with me"
"Rob-" dad tried to chime in but I cut him off.
"Just say it doctor, what's wrong with me" I begged
"I'm so sorry Rob" Taking a deep breath in and letting it out
"You have cancer"