CHAPTER 6: WARD 18

'I'm right here Michael.' Mr. Derek Onan tapped his son awake.

Mike's eyes flashed open to see his dad and Nurse Jeanette both looking at him with concerned looks on their faces.

'It's ok.' The man said calmly patting his son's back and sitting right next to him. Mike realized he had been dreaming and decided to go to the bathroom, leaving the nurse and his old man worried. He wanted to ease himself of the tension he felt. Walking through the hall, he bent his neck sideways. He felt stiff. These days, he had post traumatic attacks in his sleep less often. Staring at the mirror on the wall of the bathroom, he gently splashed the water from the tap on his sweaty face repeatedly. It was refreshing. He wiped his face with his sleeves and was about to head out when the door knob rustled and a man walked in. He was fully dressed in his security uniform. Owing to his frequent visits to the hospital, he knew the security. This guy's name was Andrew. Andrew rushed to the toilet, unbuckling his belt. He really needed to go. Mike slowly headed out, he didn't want any awkward confrontations at the time.

'How are you holding up?' Andrew asked, yelled from the toilet, while peeing.

'Good,' he yelled back at the bald man and exited the bathroom quickly.

Strolling down the halls, he walked pass a ward with its door open. There was a little girl sobbing under the sheets. She was all alone in the room. He looked at the inscription at the top 'WARD 18'. He debated inwardly about if he was to walk in or just walk away. After giving little thought to the matter, he decided to just keep going. He was about to walk into Ward 16 when he heard voices from the other side of the door.

'I think he needs support and help. Has he tried therapy?' He heard the nurse say.

'I suggested that before, but he had heard the end of it.' Mr. Onan replied the nurse.

Mike felt his blood turn cold for a second and his spirits sulked. He decided that going back to the little girl probably wasn't a bad idea. He strode a couple of tens of centimeters until he finally got there. He knocked on the open door courteously as his lips curved up to form a smile. The girl quickly sat up and wiped her tears with her little hand. She was cute but she also looked awfully pale. Mike walked in slowly. He didn't want to scare the little girl.

'Hi. I'm Mike. What's your name?' He said standing. The little girl blinked her eyes dry and sniffed.

'Valerie,' she said eventually, after scanning his entire appearance from head to heel.

'That's a beautiful name Valerie. Can I come in?' he smiled. The little girl nodded in response and he took a seat.

'So, why were you crying?'

'My mummy left me,' she sniffed.

'I'm sure she'll be back' Mike assured her.

'I don't know,' Valerie answered looking depressed. She had black circles under her eyes. Her lips were chapped 'I'm sure she'll be back' Mike assured her.

'Are you sure?' Valerie asked looking depressed. She had dark circles under her eyes, her lips were chapped and most importantly, she had no strand of hair on her head, or eyebrows on her face. She had cancer. Mike felt pity for the little girl. She was so young and fragile. She looked like she was five, six years old.

'Yes… I'm sure,' he lied and faked a smile.

Mike felt something under his feet. He bent to check what it was. It was a coloring pencil.

'Is this yours?' He asked the little girl as he picked it up.

'Uh huh,' she nodded and climbed out of the bed, gripping the sheets with her little hands for support.

'Thank you Mike.' She said as she took the pencil from his hand and put on the desk.

'You like to draw?' He asked as he admired how cute she was. She walked feebly, taking each step with Mike's heart along with it. He thought she would collapse if she kept walking so, he lifted her and placed on the bed, then he sat beside her. He always hoped for a baby brother but all of a sudden, having a baby sister didn't seem like a bad idea.

'Hello there Val.' A doctor greeted as he walked in.

'I see you have a visitor. What's your friend's name?' the doctor asked her.

'Mike,' she smiled.

'Ah…' he with a tone Mike didn't quite appreciate.

'What's wrong with her,' Mike asked ignoring the seemingly annoying doctor.

'I'm afraid I can't disclose…' the doctor was still saying when Valerie immediately sat up.

'Leukemia!' she yelled. Mike smiled at the girl. 'How could something so sad be so…amusing?' He thought.

The doctor looked uncomfortable as he carried on with his routine. He asked the girl a variety of questions, giving stern glances at Mike between intervals.

'Michael!' Mr Derek yelled as he strode the halls looking for his son.

'I'm right here!' Mike said as he stood up to leave.

'See you soon Valerie,' he waved and the girl smiled softly in response.

'One more thing…promise me you won't cry anymore'

'I promise,' the little girl chuckled.

'Bye Mike!'

Mike said goodbye to his mum and then left for home with his dad.