Raf

Chapter One

I never did think miracles were real until the 8th of September. It all started that very day, when my life changed completely. An average day on which I met a miracle. No, really.

“Hey sweetheart. How are you feeling?” the nurse asked me while removing an IV from my arm. It stung mildly as she carefully plucked it out, although she was trying to be as gentle as she could.

              “I’m feeling like a cancer patient. Hmm, can’t imagine why,” I muttered in response. My mouth felt dry, so I stared intently at the jug of ice water across from me in my hospital room. I tried to ignore the multiple bottles of anti-everything’s next to it, but they prodded at me. I absolutely despised them. All of these medications were attempts to cure- or at least relieve- me of my health issues, and boy did they ever fail. The water jug was there for me to take my medicine- and I would have to take some if I wanted the water- so despite being parched, I had to ignore my thirst and carry on.

              I’ve had cancer since age 11. It doesn’t surprise me that I’m still cancerous at age 17, but like most would, I wish I wasn’t. That being said, I have adjusted to a routine by now, which is a luxury that I wouldn’t have without the cancer. I’d been homeschooled until I was diagnosed, and my learning schedule was “whenever you’re ready, honey” the entire time. I completed work in a timely manner, but the definition of “timely” was different for me while growing up. Now that there’s appointments to attend and other time-specific events that come with my health issues, it’s not like that anymore. Back then, my mother insisted I not overwork, because she doesn’t like stress in her home or something of that sort. It’s ironic, because all she is nowadays is stressed. She cared more about my cancer than I bothered to, and carried all of the weight. She doesn’t confess her feelings about the situation, but it shows in her physical appearance. Dark circles underlining her eyes, unusually thin figure. Clearly, she was not handling it well.

              Soon enough, the nurse left the room and it was just me, my thoughts, and four walls. I did what I usually do when this is so—I think back to my last treatment. 4 hours ago. My vision of this one was far more vivid than others. I knew exactly why. In this one, I had a dream.

              This was very uncommon for a person like me. I didn’t even dream when I slept regularly (which was not often). I never really considered myself to be an interesting person. When I watch TV- an activity I’ve decided to take up not long ago- I see characters. They’re on the screen because of their charm, their ability to entertain. Interesting people. People that are enjoyable to observe. Think of those people, then the exact opposite. You’ve got me. I’m not like those people you see in the heroic cancer movies. The famous actors who act out cancer stories play through miracle filled plots, going through hell and heaven simultaneously, madly in love but cancerous. Then there’s me, Kate Mayer, the girl that never dreams; or falls in love, for that matter.

              But what I have noticed, is that when I do get to shift off to dreamland for a few hours, I dream of the most farfetched things imaginable. I remember when I was thirteen, I had my first memorable dream in a long while. I had dreamt of working with Santa Claus as co-presidents of the United States. Foolish, right? The dream I had today was much different. It was much more realistic, and despite usually being skeptical of things, I couldn’t get this dream off my mind. It was less of a dream, more of a proposition. That’s what confused me. How can such a dream occur? It was like it had been sent to me. Sent to give me a fork in the road, to make a choice. Of course, while faced with the dream, I’d shaken my head in disbelief. Now that I’ve been given time to reflect on it, it’s a mystery.