As it turned out, Luna had Pneumonia and she was admitted to the hospital full time now. She was home schooled, even though there was no reason for it, and Dad brought her clean clothes everyday. The nurse’s did everything she asked, and got anything she wanted.
Luna hated it. As long as she was hospitalized, she would never be happy again, and Simon knew it, too. He came over before and after school, they did homework, talk, play games, and yes, kissed.
He didn’t know it, but she did. They were all numbers counting down to zero, until they ran out. She was able to walk around sometimes, when she wasn’t coughing or fainting from lack of oxygen. Usually, she was so confused that she didn’t know whic hall or wing she was on, and the nurse’s had to escort Luna back. Simon teased her about it.
When she was waiting for school to get out, she was making a paper crane. Was it true that if you made one thousand of them, you’d get a wish? Who knows.
Around four thirty in the afternoon, Simon poked his head in the room. Luna was laying on her stomach, making her ninety-first paper crane.
“Hey.” he said, slightly cheery.
Luna looked up into his face. “Hi. What’s up?”
“You have visitors.” Simon said, smirking.
As he said it, her former class mates and teacher filed into the cramped room. Her eyes widened, as did theirs. She knew what they were seeing: hollow cheeks, pale complexion, bags under her eyes, how skinny she was. Luna had seen it every day the past two weeks. She felt herself getting more and more tired everyday.
No one was talking so she decided to go first. “Hi.” she said, giving a small wave.
Some people stared, some nodded, but still, everyone was silent, except for Simon.
“So what have you been doing while I’ve been gone.” he asked, setting his back pack down on the chair.
She rolled her eyes and gestured to the pile of many cranes of all shapes and sizes. “Nothing. Just did some school work, then origami. So what’d you do in school?”
“In gym, we played dodge ball. I won.” Simon said, grinning.
Someone snorted. “Only because you used people as shield.”
He shot a glare in whoever’s direction. “It’s not as bad as it sounds.”
Luna laughed. “I bet it isn’t.” she amended. She looked back down at the crane she was folding, then held out a square piece of paper for anyone to take. “Do you want to make cranes with me?”
Some people relaxed, some people left, and some stayed to fold the cranes. After she taught them how to fold the paper, she got up and got her supplies. String, hole puncher, and scissors. She went to work.
“What are you doing?” Luke asked. It was weird, the guy that first hurt her at the beginning was here, keeping Luna company.
“I’m hanging them from the ceiling.” she said, grabbing a stool and taped the string to the roof, leaving a flying bird hung in midair.
“They’ll let you do that?” Mrs. Vang asked, surprised. She didn’t smell of booze and alcohol today.
Luna shrugged. “I don’t know. I’ll take them down if they ask me to, but I want the feeling of being with the birds for a bit.”
They all lapsed into silence, even Simon didn’t talk. He stared remorsefully at his homework. Abruptly, she dropped the string, and got off the stool. She stumbled a bit, and started hacking her lungs off. The constant pain in her chest doubled, as Simon’s hands were on her shoulders, guiding her to the bed. Distantly, she heard him calling a nurse, his voice calm and everyone in the room filed out, quickly.
YOU ARE READING
Heavenly Refuge
RomanceShe's told she would die. A disease that takes away every breath. What would you do if you were in her shoes? Luna Moon, a girl who's fate is to die by cancer's hands, is lost. She doesn't know where to turn. Until a strange guy saves her from drown...
