Post by saphiragranger9 on Dec 29, 2009 18:56:50 GMT -5
Howdy. Sorry if I seem down tonight, my friend is mad at me and she is being a little.... ugh. I promised to cuss as little as I could on these boards so that's what I'm going to do.
Anway, this is my first story... my first GT story, anyway. Quick summary is below this. Just a few words, first off, I'd like to thank you guys for welcoming me onto these boards. Second, I hope my writing is good for you guys because I'm an amateur but I'm trying.
Summary: Bernie Hughes just lost her best friend to leukemia and it having a hard time over coming her death. One day, her other friend, Leon, suggests that they go to a shopping district over near Galveston Lake to cheer her up. No more will be said. You must read the rest, por favor.
Prologue
Bernie sat in the waiting room of Sacred Hope Hospital, waiting along with her mother. There was a tension in the room that made Bernie want to crack a sarcastic remark or two to lighten the air. However, there was a right time or place for everything; and this was not one of those times to crack jokes.
The night before, Bernie had gotten a call from her best friend, Carly, telling her to call her friends up. Bernie remembered that conversation vividly.
****
The phone rang after supper and, to Bernie’s great surprise, it was Carly.
“Carl! Oh my God, girl! I thought they wouldn’t let you use your phone at the hospital,” said Bernie with glee.
“Yeah, guess this is going to be my one phone call; sorry to waste it, Bern,” said Carly.
“Well, don’t worry, we can always use my phone call if we need to get bailed out of jail,” replied Bernie.
Bernie laughed at her small joke, but she could have sworn that nothing came from Carly but silence, maybe a weak chuckle.
Carly sighed from the other end of the line. “I have something to tell you something, something big. And, I think, because you’re my best friend, you should be the first one I tell.”
From the somber sound of her voice, Bernie could tell that the tidings Carly brought were surely unpleasant ones.
“Carly, what’s wrong?” she asked with panic in her voice.
“Gotta go, Bern, it’s the warden. Just be here tomorrow after school, can you get your mom to come to?”
“Yeah, Carly, but what’s going-------.” Dial tone. Carly had hung up, leaving Bernie to cringe with worry for the next twenty-four hours.
******
The moment of truth was at hand. Bernie constantly ran through a list of what Carly was about to say; did she need more chemo? Did any of the tumors return? … Was she going to die? If so, how much time did she have left?
She heaved a sigh and looked around the waiting room. Her mother was sitting next to her, delving into a magazine on home gardening, a couple opposite them was clasping each other’s hands and muttering what sounded like a prayer, a woman who seemed beyond consolation though there were three women cooing sat in a corner, semi catatonic, and a woman was arguing with a man (possibly a husband and wife) while a baby wailed in her arms. The latter didn’t seem to disturb any of the activity in the waiting room though it was furiously loud and painful sounding.
“Hopefully they’ll call us in soon…” Bernie’s mother whispered.
Bernie nodded her curly brown hair bouncing as she did. Although, the baby’s wailing and its parents’ arguing distracted her from thinking negatively for a while. She didn’t say this to her mother, though; her voice seemed to have left her after she had left school.
Finally, their wait was over when a nurse clad in pink scrubs entered and said, “Mrs. Hughes; Mrs. Leland and Carly will see you and your daughter now.”
Bernie could have sworn there was a note of sadness in the nurse’s voice as she and her mother followed her. Then again, the poor woman had to deal with patients suffering everyday; a job that practically tore your soul apart until you were numb. For all Bernie knew, the old guy who was watching a fishing show in a room they passed might have some acidic stomach disease or a child had just shoved off down the hall. It probably had nothing to do with Carly at all.
In fact, who was she to even say that Carly’s news was bad? They both messed around with each other; Carly might actually have some good news. Like the cancer is gone and she can actually go home and grow her hair out again! Hooray! Bernie grinned to herself. Same old Carly, even when she was sick she knew how to push someone’s buttons.
They finally arrived at the last room to the left.
“She’s right in here, just stop by the nurses’ station if you need anything,” said the nurse sweetly
“Thank you,” said Bernie’s Mother.
They stepped into the sterile room painted with pale salmon pink walls. Sitting in a chair was Mrs. Leland, looking older than Bernie had ever seen her. And, in the bed, playing her NintendoDSi was Carly; exhausted, frail, and bald.
Bernie and Carly had a long and adventurous friendship that started when their mothers were forcing them to go to girl scouts. During the arts and crafts portion of one meeting, the girls connected over felt, googly glue on eyes, and glitter paint. They never finished that craft, from what Bernie remembered, and they both pissed off the troop leader when, instead of the felt girl scouts that were supposed to be turning in, were just sheets of fabric with random eyes and glitter patterns haphazardly painted all over. This lead to their long course friendship that lasted a run of nine, going on ten years. Three of the last few years had been tainted by Carly’s leukemia.
Bernie knew they were in for something then Carly had been getting bruises just by doing simple activities . Then her lymph nodes started hurting for no reason whatsoever. Carly cried her heart out the day she found out she had chronic leukemia; she was afraid that it would kill her, afraid of how long it would take to treat, and, ultimately, about losing her hair with chemo therapy.
“Well, look at it this way, at least you’ll never have a bad hair day,” teased Bernie as she comforted Carly who’d been crying all day. Carly laughed through her tears.
“Oh, thank God!” she had groaned. After that, she and Bernie were laughing and coming up with plans, ideas, ways that could help Carly cope with her disease.
The last few years, they fought, they laughed, they cried, and they suffered with each other along with a lot of other good friends. But Bernie and Carly were, as Forrest Gump had put it, like peas and carrots throughout the entire ordeal.
“What, no fanfare?” said Bernie.
Carly looked up from her game and shut it off. No smile. No clever joke to follow. Just a somber glance and nothing more.
“Hey, Bern,” she said.
“Hey… How are you?” Bernie asked. An awkwardness fell all about the room.
“Bernie,” said Mrs. Leland, “I think you should sit down, baby doll.”
Mrs. Leland offered her seat, standing next to Mrs. Hughes, as if she were looking for support. Bernie found this to be a bit unnerving, like a little girl being told that Christmas was going to be cancelled. Nonetheless, she did what she said and took a seat, looking at Carly waiting for what she had to say.
“Bern…” Carly’s voice faltered but she tried again, “Bern…”
Bernie got up from her chair and went to her friend’s side. She put her arm around her and waited for it. A few feet away, Mrs. Leland whimpered.
When she regained her composure a little bit she said, “G-go ahead, b-baby.”
Bernie didn’t need Carly to say anything though. Without warning, she could feel Carly’s body racking with silent sobs. Carly muttered something about dying and then everything else was unintelligable between sobs. Bernie understood perfectly well, though, as she broke down to tears as well.
Wow, craptastic, eh? I thought I did pretty good. Don't worry, the giant will come in later, just keep a lookin'. As for you all, good night!
Anway, this is my first story... my first GT story, anyway. Quick summary is below this. Just a few words, first off, I'd like to thank you guys for welcoming me onto these boards. Second, I hope my writing is good for you guys because I'm an amateur but I'm trying.
Summary: Bernie Hughes just lost her best friend to leukemia and it having a hard time over coming her death. One day, her other friend, Leon, suggests that they go to a shopping district over near Galveston Lake to cheer her up. No more will be said. You must read the rest, por favor.
Prologue
Bernie sat in the waiting room of Sacred Hope Hospital, waiting along with her mother. There was a tension in the room that made Bernie want to crack a sarcastic remark or two to lighten the air. However, there was a right time or place for everything; and this was not one of those times to crack jokes.
The night before, Bernie had gotten a call from her best friend, Carly, telling her to call her friends up. Bernie remembered that conversation vividly.
****
The phone rang after supper and, to Bernie’s great surprise, it was Carly.
“Carl! Oh my God, girl! I thought they wouldn’t let you use your phone at the hospital,” said Bernie with glee.
“Yeah, guess this is going to be my one phone call; sorry to waste it, Bern,” said Carly.
“Well, don’t worry, we can always use my phone call if we need to get bailed out of jail,” replied Bernie.
Bernie laughed at her small joke, but she could have sworn that nothing came from Carly but silence, maybe a weak chuckle.
Carly sighed from the other end of the line. “I have something to tell you something, something big. And, I think, because you’re my best friend, you should be the first one I tell.”
From the somber sound of her voice, Bernie could tell that the tidings Carly brought were surely unpleasant ones.
“Carly, what’s wrong?” she asked with panic in her voice.
“Gotta go, Bern, it’s the warden. Just be here tomorrow after school, can you get your mom to come to?”
“Yeah, Carly, but what’s going-------.” Dial tone. Carly had hung up, leaving Bernie to cringe with worry for the next twenty-four hours.
******
The moment of truth was at hand. Bernie constantly ran through a list of what Carly was about to say; did she need more chemo? Did any of the tumors return? … Was she going to die? If so, how much time did she have left?
She heaved a sigh and looked around the waiting room. Her mother was sitting next to her, delving into a magazine on home gardening, a couple opposite them was clasping each other’s hands and muttering what sounded like a prayer, a woman who seemed beyond consolation though there were three women cooing sat in a corner, semi catatonic, and a woman was arguing with a man (possibly a husband and wife) while a baby wailed in her arms. The latter didn’t seem to disturb any of the activity in the waiting room though it was furiously loud and painful sounding.
“Hopefully they’ll call us in soon…” Bernie’s mother whispered.
Bernie nodded her curly brown hair bouncing as she did. Although, the baby’s wailing and its parents’ arguing distracted her from thinking negatively for a while. She didn’t say this to her mother, though; her voice seemed to have left her after she had left school.
Finally, their wait was over when a nurse clad in pink scrubs entered and said, “Mrs. Hughes; Mrs. Leland and Carly will see you and your daughter now.”
Bernie could have sworn there was a note of sadness in the nurse’s voice as she and her mother followed her. Then again, the poor woman had to deal with patients suffering everyday; a job that practically tore your soul apart until you were numb. For all Bernie knew, the old guy who was watching a fishing show in a room they passed might have some acidic stomach disease or a child had just shoved off down the hall. It probably had nothing to do with Carly at all.
In fact, who was she to even say that Carly’s news was bad? They both messed around with each other; Carly might actually have some good news. Like the cancer is gone and she can actually go home and grow her hair out again! Hooray! Bernie grinned to herself. Same old Carly, even when she was sick she knew how to push someone’s buttons.
They finally arrived at the last room to the left.
“She’s right in here, just stop by the nurses’ station if you need anything,” said the nurse sweetly
“Thank you,” said Bernie’s Mother.
They stepped into the sterile room painted with pale salmon pink walls. Sitting in a chair was Mrs. Leland, looking older than Bernie had ever seen her. And, in the bed, playing her NintendoDSi was Carly; exhausted, frail, and bald.
Bernie and Carly had a long and adventurous friendship that started when their mothers were forcing them to go to girl scouts. During the arts and crafts portion of one meeting, the girls connected over felt, googly glue on eyes, and glitter paint. They never finished that craft, from what Bernie remembered, and they both pissed off the troop leader when, instead of the felt girl scouts that were supposed to be turning in, were just sheets of fabric with random eyes and glitter patterns haphazardly painted all over. This lead to their long course friendship that lasted a run of nine, going on ten years. Three of the last few years had been tainted by Carly’s leukemia.
Bernie knew they were in for something then Carly had been getting bruises just by doing simple activities . Then her lymph nodes started hurting for no reason whatsoever. Carly cried her heart out the day she found out she had chronic leukemia; she was afraid that it would kill her, afraid of how long it would take to treat, and, ultimately, about losing her hair with chemo therapy.
“Well, look at it this way, at least you’ll never have a bad hair day,” teased Bernie as she comforted Carly who’d been crying all day. Carly laughed through her tears.
“Oh, thank God!” she had groaned. After that, she and Bernie were laughing and coming up with plans, ideas, ways that could help Carly cope with her disease.
The last few years, they fought, they laughed, they cried, and they suffered with each other along with a lot of other good friends. But Bernie and Carly were, as Forrest Gump had put it, like peas and carrots throughout the entire ordeal.
“What, no fanfare?” said Bernie.
Carly looked up from her game and shut it off. No smile. No clever joke to follow. Just a somber glance and nothing more.
“Hey, Bern,” she said.
“Hey… How are you?” Bernie asked. An awkwardness fell all about the room.
“Bernie,” said Mrs. Leland, “I think you should sit down, baby doll.”
Mrs. Leland offered her seat, standing next to Mrs. Hughes, as if she were looking for support. Bernie found this to be a bit unnerving, like a little girl being told that Christmas was going to be cancelled. Nonetheless, she did what she said and took a seat, looking at Carly waiting for what she had to say.
“Bern…” Carly’s voice faltered but she tried again, “Bern…”
Bernie got up from her chair and went to her friend’s side. She put her arm around her and waited for it. A few feet away, Mrs. Leland whimpered.
When she regained her composure a little bit she said, “G-go ahead, b-baby.”
Bernie didn’t need Carly to say anything though. Without warning, she could feel Carly’s body racking with silent sobs. Carly muttered something about dying and then everything else was unintelligable between sobs. Bernie understood perfectly well, though, as she broke down to tears as well.
Wow, craptastic, eh? I thought I did pretty good. Don't worry, the giant will come in later, just keep a lookin'. As for you all, good night!