Amanda Caron (11)

No one answered her. Lola swept her gaze over all of them. "Why are you all so silent? Did I say something wrong?" 

The hospital head cleared his throat and looked at the little girl. He couldn't bear to shatter her hope, but he had no other choice. "I'm sorry, but your savings cannot do much. The bill is too expensive." 

Lola cocked her head curiously, and he could only explain. "Keeping a patient in a vegetative state costs more than a hundred thousand dollars per year. However, she might remain in a vegetative state for longer than a year, and the current bill is already in the tens of thousands." 

Lola's heart sank. That was too much. Her piggy bank savings could only amount to fifty dollars at the very most.

"Besides," he solemnly continued, "you are too young. You are not eligible to make such a decision." 

"But I'm not young, sir. I'm already nine. I will be ten in a few months." She showed her ten small fingers with a serious expression.