Flash Fiction

Motivation 

     The 12 year old girl feels the top of her soft hairless head as she stares into the mirror. Her stomach sinks with the knowledge of her dying body. Cassandra has recently been diagnosed with Leukemia. She thinks to herself, alone in her hospital room. How much her life has changed, and how it will never be the same again. The smell of her room gives her chills.

"Good morning Cassie,"

     There was a girl standing in Cassandra's doorway, she was about the age of 17.

"May I come in?" asked Rachel

     Cassandra nodded her head in acceptance.

     Rachel was a volunteer at the hospital where Cassandra was placed for treatment. Rachel goes to visit Cassandra every day. They would play board games, cards, and read books together.

"What would you like to do today?" Rachel asked Cassandra

     She thought about it and decided to play the game of Life it didn't take long for her to choose. She enjoyed this game over all the rest. It was a game she could get lost in and play her life the way she would have wanted it to turn out instead of being stuck with this deadly disease.

"Rachel.... can I ask you a... question?" Cassandra hesitantly asked.

"Yeah Cassie, for sure! What's on your mind?" Rachel looked at Cassie with ease.

"Do you think there is an angel looking after me?" Cassandra asked looking down at her thumbs twiddling.

Rachel giggled at the thought of the question.

"I believe there is an angel looking after all of us. There was one for me too when I was in your same situation, and it saved me!" she replied to Cassandra.

     Her face lit up with a smile at the thought of Rachel once being in her situation and surviving through it!

"I'm going to be just like you Rachel! I'm going to live through this, I know I will!" exclaimed Cassandra.

~

     A week or so passed, Rachel went at the same time as always to go visit Cassandra. But today was different. Her room was completely empty, and the bed was made. It gave the illusion as though no one had even been here.

Rachel stopped a nurse passing by, "Excuse me, the little girl in this room Cassandra Miller, where is she?"

"Oh......" responded the nurse, "... She passed away in the night, the Leukemia took over."

Rachel's legs buckled, she felt as though the weight of the world was pushing on her shoulders and  it wouldn't stop till she crashed to the floor.

     The motivated attitude that stayed strong through the tough time of Cassandra's illness that made her die too young motivated Rachel to want to keep Cassandra's story alive. As Rachel grew older she devoted her life to keep other sick children motivated just like Cassandra was.


PERSONAL REFLECTION: 
     Well this was the first type of motivation that came to my mind. Afterwards my fellow peers suggested singers being motivated to go on a stage and sing in front of a huge audience. I thought about it and realized that the topic of a motivated cancer patient had more meaning to it. It may not be something we can all relate to but it's it shows that one person being motivated can change the world. Cassandra being motivated to fight her cancer, although she may not have survived it inspired Rachel to want to help other people understand why it's important to stay motivated, especially in dire times of need.