Becky found herself in the hospital, standing at the door of room 206.
Nurses and doctors were hurrying up and down the corridors as they went about
their rounds. Down the hall, some grim-faced people stepped out of a room.
A lady was crying and was comforted by her husband. There was a feeling of
sadness in the air.
"Hi!" came a weak yet cheerful voice behind her.
Becky was in room 206. She did not remember opening the door, but she was
standing at the foot of the bed. "Hi," she answered, confused.
"My name's Sara."
"Mine's Becky."
"Do you go to my school? I go to Greeley Elementary. I haven't had a visitor
since I came to the hospital."
"I go to Westbrook," Becky replied.
"WESTBROOK?" Sara exclaimed. "Oooh, we creamed you in basketball."
Becky could hardly remember basketball.
Sara was pale, nearly skin and bones. Her hair was straight and blonde,
and she had neatly trimmed bangs. Her face was small and round, her eyes were
brown, wide and inquisitive. She was wearing a pink nighty with Mickey Mouse's
face across the front. She had the most friendly smile. It warmed Becky's
heart.
"You can sit in the chair by the bed, or you can sit on the edge of the
bed if you want to." Sara smiled, revealing her missing front teeth.. "You're
the first visitor I've had since I came here."
"How long have you been here?" Becky asked.
"A month. They made me leave school. My parents got me a tutor at home."
"Me, too," Becky said, without thinking.
"You were sick, too?" Sara's eyes widened. "You look great!"
"Well, I--"
"I don't think I'll ever get better," Sara's eyes were downcast. "I have
leukemia."
Her tongue stumbled over the word. "When Mommy and Daddy come they always
start crying." Sara's eyes wandered to the window. "Becky, do you believe
there's a heaven?"
"Heaven?" Becky did not know how to respond.
"I think I'm going to heaven soon. I wonder what it'll be like." Tears
welled in Sara's eyes. "I'm scared, Becky. I don't want to leave Mommy and
Daddy. None of my friends will be in heaven."
Becky smiled. "I'll be your friend, Sara."
Peace and hope glistened in Sara's eyes.
"I've been so sad since I came to the hospital," Sara said, wiping her
tears. "
Mommy and Daddy brought me toys." There was a Teddy bear and a gray toy
elephant sitting in the window sill, and a rocking horse was at the foot of
the bed. "Grandpa brought me some cookies, but I'm not very hungry. I wish
Kenny, Jennifer, and Megan were here!" Again she began to cry.
"I bet they're sad, too," Becky said. "They don't understand when you get
sick. They're afraid they'll get sick, too."
"I wish I could go out and play. Daddy built me a tree house at home. It's
a real secret place. My friends and I go there all the time--especially when
we're bad!" Sara giggled, wiping her tears with her sleeve.
"My Dad built a play house for me in the back yard," Becky said. "Sometimes
I pretend it's a castle, with knights and a fairy princess."
"A FAIRY PRINCESS?" Sara's eyes marvelled
"Yeah, I even talk to her sometimes. She tells me secrets and sometimes
we play games."
"Wow!" Sara gasped.
"You know how to play Fish?" Becky asked.
"I'll show you how," Becky said and began to deal the cards.
They laughed and giggled. Swapped stories. Talked about who was most stuck
up and about the meanest teachers. They forgot about sickness, disease, lonliness,
and sadness.
Night began to fall. Sara put her cards down and laid back on her pillow,
drawing the covers tightly around her.
"I'm scared, Becky," she said, her voice trembling.
"I'm here," Becky smiled, bravely. Look, there's a full moon out tonight!"
Becky hopped off the bed and dashed to the window. Sara followed.
"Let me see!" Sara exclaimed, anxiously.
"It looks like a gigantic spaceship!"" Becky said, "Maybe we can take a
ride in it!"
Sara lay back in her beed and rested her head on the pillow.
"I'm afraid of monsters. What if they jump out of the dark and get me?"
"They won't get us as long as we're together," Becky said. "If you see
any monsters, you jump them and I'll beat them up!" Becky smacked her fist
into the palm of her hand.
They laughed, Sara becoming quiet.
"Becky, maybe heaven isn't such a terrible place. I hear the streets are
made of gold, and there are beautiful angels everywhere. I think I'd like
to be an angel. I wish you could come and see me."
Suddenly a light appeared in Sara's room. It was like an extraordinary
moonbeam and it became a golden road which led out her window. Sara sat up
with a start.
"What's that?" she gasped.
"Let's go play," Becky said, taking Sara's hand. "There's grass and trees
and it's like summer all the time!"
Sara forgot it was night and, with great joy she leaped from her bed. She
felt stronger. Her body was no longer weak, but it was stronger than ever
before. Becky and Sara smiled at each other and, in the blink of an eye, they
were running, tumbling, laughing and giggling in fragrant meadows, filled
with the scents of lilacs and honeysuckles.
They were no longer alone. In the meadow were other children their own
age, and they laughed and played together.
Sara looked at Becky, her eyes glowing with anticipation. She squeezed
her hand. "I'm glad you're my friend!"
They were ecstaticly happy, and their faces beamed with joy.
THE END
"Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the
kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein."
-The Nazarene
"It's the glow from within that creates beauty. People are as stained glass windows- they sparkle like crystal in the sun, but when darkness falls, they continue to shine only if there's a light from within."
-Anonymous