"The cancer's back."

I feel like I've heard those words a million times, ringing over and over inside my head. Mom looks like she wants to cry. I can't blame her, I feel the same.

"That's impossible! There must have been something I could have done to prevent it!" I exclaim.

"No, Garroth, there's nothing you could have done. It's not your fault," mom let's a few tears run down her face. She wipes them away.

"But-"

"Garroth, please don't think it was your fault. There's nothing you could have done to prevent it," the doctor says.

I sit back into a more relaxed position. I hear all the same words I heard all those years ago.

"Chemo."

"Surgery."

"Radiation."

But there's other words that I don't recognize. Something I've never heard before.

"The tumor's a little bigger than a golf ball."

Jeez, that big? I mean, compared to others, it's nothing. But I don't remember hearing that before. I stare at the ground, trying to hide fear.

"So our best recommendation is that he is awake during the surgery," the doctor concludes.

"What?!" I become uneasy again.

"You won't feel anything, Garroth. It's just to make sure that we don't hit anything wrong," he says. Mom holds my shaking hand. I nod.

The doctor looks at both of us, "Go home for now. We'll see you in a week?"

Mom and I nod. The doctor shakes our hands and leaves. Mom and I get up and head out to the car. She is trying as hard as possible not to cry in front of people. We both get into the car.

It's a silent drive until she says, "Other than everything that's happened, how are you feeling?"

"Like hell," I mumble, looking out the window.

We finally get home. Mom helps me in so I don't trip on stairs or anything like that. I walk into the house and kick off my shoes. When I try to run upstairs, my mom grabs my arm.

"We need to tell your brothers," the pauses, "and your father."

I reluctantly walk back downstairs. Mom calls my brothers' names and takes out the laptop, opening Skype. Vylad comes down first, energetic as always. Then Zane, slow and sluggish. They both sit next to me on the table.

Mom calls dad. When he answers, she turns the camera over to us. Vylad smiles at me. I give half smile back. He always seems so happy.

"Hey, boys, what's up?" Dad asks. He has a funny look on his face. We don't usually call so suddenly.

"Nothing much," Zane shrugs.

"Garte," mom clears her throat, "there's something we need to tell you. And Vylad and Zane."

All of them look confused as I look down. Mom puts a hand on my shoulder. I look back up at the computer screen.

"Do you wanna tell him?" She whispers into my ear. I shake my head fast.

"Garte, boys, Garroth's cancer is back," mom says. Dad and Zane's faces go pale and Vylad looks at me weird. He still doesn't understand.

"O-Oh God..." dad stutters, trailing off with his words.

Just then, a voice calls out.

"Lieutenant Ro'Meave, we need you out here now."

"I-I'm sorry, I have to go. I'll be there as soon as possible, okay?" He says. We all nod as he grudgingly hangs up.

Zane shuts the laptop quietly. Hes in shock, too, I can tell. It's silent, too silent. I want to blurt something out, but Vylad does the job for me.

"Daddy's coming back?!" He exclaims while tugging on my mom's sleeve.

"Yes, Vylad, but-" she begins. I shake my head, deciding not to ruin anything for him.

"Yes, Vylad, daddy's gonna come back for a while," she smiles at him. Vylad's face lights up.

"Daddy, daddy, daddy!" He jumps up and down. He is six, after all.

We all give a laugh. Well, all of us except Zane. He's not much of a smiler, especially when it comes to Vylad. He just rolls his eyes.

1 week later

I walk into the huge hospital. Once again, I see people running around frantically. The white tile with the specks and the desk. Mom goes up to it to work out a bunch of stuff.

There's a bunch of people here visiting others, and patients. There's one old man, walking around with a walker. Then, a child, just about 2 or 3, walking around with an IV stand, lead by his mother.

Then I turn. I see an all too familiar face. Raven hair. Brown eyes.

Aphmau?!

Don't tell me she relapsed, too!

She gets a glance at me and then walks toward me and hugs me. No one seems to notice, though.

"You relapsed, too, I see..." she says. I separate from the hug and nod.

"I guess we're in this together," I shrugs.

"Okay, Mrs. Ro'Meave, room 10-7," the nurse says. Mom grabs me by the shoulder.

"Visit anytime," I whisper in Aphmau's ear. She nods and blushes a little bit.

Mom takes me onto the elevator.10-7 means 10th floor, 7th room. It's a really big hospital, I find it strange. How many people get sick a day?

We walk into the cancer ward. I look around and see a bunch of people with cancer. Except, most of them are older. Before I can stare too much, mom leads me into the room. It's all too familiar. Pure white with almost no color.

I walk in and sit on the bed. The sheets are scratchy, just like always. I look around. Nothing new.

"I say get comfortable," mom says. "You could be here for a while."

I nod and look down. Here we go again.

~•~

After a couple hours, I hear a knock on the door. My mom had left do take care of my brothers until my grandparents came, so I was here alone for a while. I tell them to come in. Aphmau comes in with a sad look on her face. I scoot over and pat the bed, telling her to sit by me.

She sits down and starts to cry, "I can't stand it here, I wanna go home!" She says through sobs.

"It's just not fair, why do we have to have cancer and no one else does?!" She exclaims. I hug her tight.

I shush her, "It'll be okay, I'm here for you. Nothing will happen," I console her.

I then realize something.

I have to be strong.

For my friends.

For my brothers.

For my mom.

For my dad.

And for Aphmau.

••••••••
How many of you hate me now?

Show some sympathy! My arm hurts!

Thanks for reading! Bai!
••••••••