A/N: I made a few edits back a few chapters just so Mike is still more involved again.
Same deal with the research; if I'm missing any important details, please let me know.
Let me know what you think of the title of this chapter, because I really was stuck on naming this one.
[Year 2003]
Three days later, on September 23rd, 2003, we got the results back from Persey's biopsy. I always had a special memory for that date, because it was one of the worst in my lifetime.
At first, it seemed like nothing would go wrong. Persey, Mike and I were playing Mario Kart in the TV room, while our parents weren't home. Mike had brought over his GameCube so Persey could play it, since she had nothing else to do while she was sick.
"Are you serious?" I asked when he brought it up in class.
"Well, yeah, why not?"
"It's okay, man, you really don't have to."
"Of course I do," Mike said, grinning obnoxiously. "She's been stuck at home all day, you guys don't even have an Xbox. No video games at all, what kind of life is that?"
"That's not what I mean, asshole," I said, laughing. "I mean it's nice, but you don't have to go out of your way like that. Why would you want to?"
Mike's smile wavered a little bit. "Well... to tell you the truth, I've been in that situation before."
"Wait, really?"
"Uh huh. In middle school, they found out I had an autoimmune disease. I had to stay in the hospital for like two months."
"I don't think you've told me that before."
"Probably not..." Mike said. "It gets really boring lying in bed all day. All I wanted was something to do. Other than watch TV, or read Captain Underpants. And they wouldn't let me play video games at the hospital."
"That sucks."
"Anyway, it'll probably be really good for her."
Bringing in the GameCube was a great idea. It was the only thing that got Persey out of her room. We played a few video games, like Super Smash Bros and Kirby Air Ride, but Mario Kart was Persey's favorite. It amused the hell out of her that she could throw bananas and turtle shells, and she went absolutely nuts with it. I'd never seen her have so much fun before.
Mom came home at around 4pm. She had to work over the weekend, and must've gotten the results at her office.
She stood behind us and touched my shoulder.
"Zander, come upstairs with me. I need to talk to you about something."
"What for? We're kinda busy..."
"It's important, Zander."
Her eyes were red and glassy, and she was wringing her hands repetitively. Just seeing her dissolved my mood.
"Oh - okay..." I said.
We went into the office room and locked the door, so Persey couldn't come in. I sat down in the computer chair.
"Mom, what's wrong?"
"It's about the results from Persey's biopsy."
My teeth dug into my lip. Cold fear was crawling up my stomach.
"Oh...no... it's something bad, isn't it? Shouldn't she be hearing this too?"
"Look.... I just can't handle telling her right now, I'll wait until your dad can help me. He was always... much stronger than me."
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Through the Acheron
General Fiction[Formerly Persephone's Death Wish} Zander was seven years old when his little sister Persephone was born. A few weeks later, he had to go to his first funeral. His first experience with death left him mystified and overwrought, fearful that when h...
