Time Limit

Ball Of Happiness

Three weeks. It happened three weeks ago. I glanced over at the now dead roses sitting on the small table. I had refused to let them be moved. Yes they held the truth and heartache but hope also swam around in the dead veins of the flowers. Hope that maybe one day I would see him again, before I left this place. I knew the parents and older patients could see my health slowly fading away. My skin was paler and I was becoming thinner but it wasn’t all from the sickness, some was from the heartache. I just couldn’t bear to express it to anyone else but Holly.

“Jade its story time.” Sarah spoke from my bedroom door.  Sarah was getting better but her hair was still not growing back, I could see the fear in her blue eyes. She was scared she would never be healthy again. I pushed myself off of the bed and walked over to Sarah, my adopted little sister. The only happy thing I had left in my life.

“We better get going then.” Smiling I took a hold of her small hand in my own. As we walked in to the large room, the children were already sitting happily on the floor covered in rugs and blankets. The windows were closed tightly and the heaters were on. The sky was grey and dull; it had been like this since that day. It was like the weather knew how I was feeling.

“Come on.” Sarah called as she sat down on the couch; I sat down on the couch as Sarah snuggled in to my side. Three weeks, I couldn’t believe it had been that long. I wasn’t even sure if we were still together or not, had he found someone else? I shook these thoughts out of my head as I glanced at the children; their eyes were filled with hope. They wanted a fantasy to believe in.

“There once was a boy named Jack, he lived thousands of years ago. Back when fires made the only light at night. Jack would always adventure in to the dark forest, just to visit a lake. Everyday he would bring one flower to the lake and set it in the water, every time it would float to the middle of the lake. It never moved after that. Jack would then go home back to his mother and baby sister. After he had left the lake a girl dressed in white would float down from the tree and pick up the flower from the lake. She would smell it and touch the petals. “Like silk.” She would always say. She never said anything else, only those two words.

One night Jack had fallen sleep at the lake, the girl had not noticed so when she spoke her angel like voice woke Jack from his sleep. “Like silk.” He would speak while he watched her touch the petal; frightened the girl dropped the flower in to the lake. “What are you doing at my lake?” She asked while nearing Jack. “I come here every night and leave a flower.” He spoke while standing up to get a better look at the girl. Her hair was as white as snow. It matched her dress. “You leave me the flowers?” The girls voice was full of surprise; a boy had never left her flowers not even when she was alive. “I bring a flower every night to give to you my love. The girl I lost to the lake.” Jack spoke while he had tried to touch her cheek. Frightened once more the girl quickly vanished before his eyes. What had he said to make her scared? All he had spoken was the truth. Jacks love had been taken one evening by the lake, his heart ached and longed for her but she could not remember him.

The girl in white floated down to the lake once more, like she did every night but to her surprise there wasn’t a single flower in the lake. “I brought you a bouquet of flowers to show my love for you. Every month on the first Saturday I would bring you a bouquet.” Jack spoke while he held the flowers out to the girl. “I never got flowers.” She replied as she took the bouquet and smelt the beautiful flowers. “A flower a day will keep death away.” Jack spoke softly, the girl looked up at him shocked. “I remember you.” She spoke “Jack I remember.” A large smiled filled her face as she floated up in to the sky while smelling her bouquet of flowers.

“I remember you my love.” Jack spoke softly as he watched her began to faded way happily, to the place were she belonged the most. “Always.” He breathed before he closed his eyes and drifted asleep.” I glanced around the room at the children. They were all sleeping. Snuggled together like a small group of penguins. I slowly stood up as I rested Sarah’s head down on the small couch.

“I know why you told me.” I froze as I heard his voice. Weeks I had dreamed about him speaking to me but for weeks they never came true. I slowly turned around to see Julian looking at me with a face full of emotions. His dark hair was messy, like he hadn’t brushed or washed it in days. Dark shadows sat under his eyes, which easy stood out because they were pink and puffy. “You’re dying, aren’t you?” He asked, barely above a whisper.

“Yes.” I spoke back, what else was I going to say? “Just over three months.” I continued, before I could speak again Julian had pulled my face to his so fast that it almost scared me when he pressed his lips on to my own. The kiss was passionate and sweet. It was full of depth. I felt so happy that small tears ran down my cheeks as I kissed him back softly. I could still taste peppermint and it still felt like fairy floss. Nothing had changed. He slowly pulled away from me but kept his hands on my cheeks.

“Don’t cry. I’ll stay till the end.” Julian spoke softly as I felt him wipe away my loose tears. “I won’t ever leave you again Jade.” His lips lightly touched my forehead. I couldn’t control the small amount of tears that flowed down my cheeks but they never made it past my chin. Julian kept wiping them away before they could.

“But I’ll leave you.” I breathed as I leaned in to his right hand; I had missed Julian’s touch so very much. I watched as he kissed my nose and smiled at me slightly.

“For now we’ll spend our days together.” I smiled softly as I lightly kissed the palm of his right hand. I had him back, my other ball of happiness. I could see a normal girl never forgiving Julian for what he did but I have a time limit, so there is no time for hate or regret. If I wanted Julian I was going to have him, even if that is for an extremely short time period.