Writing Sample
By: Neomii Madison
I step through the doorway to see my grandmother’s frail, pale body laying on a hospital bed. She is sleeping peacefully but her body looks so fragile that one touch might break her. I tried to hold back my tears, knowing that if she were to wake up now, she would not want to see me crying.
“Hi, are you June’s granddaughter?” A woman poked her head through the door.
“Yes, I am.”
“Can I speak to you for a second about your grandmother’s condition?”
I walked back into the hall, bracing myself for what news I was about to hear.
“Your grandmother June isn’t doing great. The cancer has significantly spread through her body. Has she changed her mind on getting treatment? It would help slow down the spreading.”
“I didn’t even know she had cancer. When was she diagnosed?”
“Oh…she never told you. She was diagnosed with stage two lymphoma ten months ago. She refused any kind of treatment a month after receiving her diagnosis. Maybe with you here she might consider one of the treatment options.”
I was stunned. My grandma has had cancer for the last ten months and I had no idea. Why wouldn’t she tell me? I would have come home and been with her. Why doesn’t she want to undergo treatment?
“Perhaps it is best if I give you time to talk to her. I will need an answer as soon as possible, we don’t want the cancer to progress anymore than it has.” The doctor gave me a gentle smile.
I took a deep breath and walked back inside my grandmother’s room. She was awake and gave me a weak smile.
“Willow, you came” she gave me a hug.
“Of course I did. I needed to be with you.”
“Well, I don’t want you to be worried dear. I will be alright, I am not scared to go” she looked at me with so much peace for someone who must be in so much pain.
“ just don’t understand.” I start to tear up. “Why didn’t you tell me sooner that you had cancer? I would have comeback sooner.”
“It is not fair of me to make you leave the life you loved to come take care of me. When they diagnosed me with stage one lymphoma I thought I had more time…I did not expect the cancer to spread through my body so quickly.”
“So why aren’t you gettin treatment then? The doctor said they have great options for you, to at least slow down the cancer for a few more months.”
“I know…they have already told me my options” she sighs. “I just don’t want to undergo the effects the treatment has. I have had friends who went through treatments for cancer and they have said it made them feel worse than they already were.”
“Maybe your body will handle it differently. There is still a chance to feel better or even be cured” tears roll down my cheeks.
“ I know, but I am okay with not taking the chance” she wipes the tears off of my face. “I have lived a beautiful life. I have traveled, had a beautiful marriage, raised a wonderful son, have a talented granddaughter, and even got the chance to run a business. I have been blessed with a better life than most people in this world have” a tear rolls down her face.
“But I don’t want you to leave me” the tears are rolling down my face now.
“I will never leave you. No matter what happens when I am gone, I will always be watching over, sending you signs, and people to bless your life. I will always love you” she squeezes me tight as I cry in her arms.
“You, Me & the Woods”
By: Neomii Madison
“Aren’t you just the cutest thing” the baby bear nuzzles the berries out of my hand and eats them off the ground.
”What are you dong?!”
I roll my eyes and turn to see Alder a foot away from me.
“Isn’t it obvious…I am feeding this lonely baby bear” I scoff.
“You can’t just wander off from the group becase your mad at me” he replied grumpily.
“Well it looks like I already did that,” I turned back to the bear who was looking for more berries.
“Did you hear that?” Alder froze.
“Hear what?!” I snapped.
“Oh f**k!”
“What!? What is it?”
“Lower your voice!?” he whisper shouted.
“Stop messing around. I am still mad at you,” I frowned.
“I need you to get up slowly and back away from the bear.”
“Why?”
“Because I am not trying to get mauled by a bear” he cried.
“A baby bear won’t maul you” I roll my eyes.
“No, but the mom definitely will.”
I slowly turn around and hear grunting. Two feet away from me there is a giant black bear.
“What do I do?” my voice is shaky.
“Step away from the baby slowly. When you reach me, we will walk slowly until we can run.”
“I thought you aren’t supposed to run from bears!” I yelp as I start to walk backwards.
“Well I don’t have any better ideas. Besides I am not the one who wandered off and made friends with a baby bear,” he said annoyed.
We continued to walk backwards until there was a big enough space between us and the mother bear.
“Okay…I will count to three and then we run as fast as we can.”
My heart was beating so hard, that I could hear it in my ears.
“1…2…3!”he shouted
My feet moved quickly and picked up speed when I heard the pounding of bear paws behind us. I don’t want to die this way.
“Meet Me at the Ferris Wheel”
By: Neomii Madison
The smell of funnel cake and corn dogs filled the warm air making my stomach growl. People were screaming as the rides flung them in different directions. Others were laughing while waiting in the long lines.
I followed my friend through the crowd. She wanted to go on the Ferris wheel with her boyfriend, which means I will end up being a third wheel…again.
“Hi!” Rachel waved to her boyfriend Jake.
“Hey, you guys made it” he kissed Rachel on the cheek.
I couldn’t help but smile at them, they really made a cute couple. I glanced over at the man who was standing next to Jake. His wavy dirty blonde hair was long enough to slightly fall on his forehead.
His piercing blue eyes lingered on my brown ones. Why is he only staring at me? He isn’t smiling. Maybe I should smile first?
To Be Continued…