The Girl In Room 417

Untitled Part 5

"The results of the blood test aren't positive Mr Carlisle. We aren't seeing the type of response we had hoped for a girl of Emily's age. However, it's still early in her chemotherapy cycle, things could still improve."

I crumple the receipt in my pocket that had been there for a few weeks. I think it was for my last packet of cigarettes. I had promised Em I would quit.

My dad rubs his forehead and I walk over to Emily's room. They had offered for her to come home but she wants to stay.

"Hey Em."

"It's not good news is it." Her face is very stoic, too old for a girl her age.

"Not yet."

"What's the point?"

"Don't say that. You're going to get better, I know it."

"Hah, you sound just like 417."

"She came around again?"

"Yep, reappeared a couple days ago, she looks exactly the same. She won't talk about it."

"Did you ask?"

"Yeah, I was curious. She shrugged and said it was personal. I know when to back off."

I nod along, wondering what secret she's keeping from my sister.

"So how do I sound like her?"

"Hmm?"

"You said I sound like her."

"Oh, right. Well, 417 has this thing. It's kind of morbid really but she reckons she can tell when people are going to beat cancer."

"As in like, live?"

"Yeah. Apparently, she's never been wrong. She told me the first day that I got here that I'm a fighter, that I'm getting out of here alive and healthy. Dunno how she knew, said she could see it in me. The fight to survive or something." She shrugs again.

"So she goes around telling people they're going to die?"

My opinion of this girl is decreasing by the second.

"No! She said she's never told anyone before. It creeped her out I guess, being right all the time. She saw that I was really down and she told me. Might just be a load of bull, but it was nice to hear, just the same."

"So, she's lying."

"I don't think so. She's didn't seem too thrilled you know, being able to tell whether the people around her are going to die or not."

"I don't believe it." I say dismissively, crossing my arms.

"You don't have to. Either way, I'm going to live. I'm determined to."

I ponder what Emily has just told me and decide that 417 is spouting shit. But, at least it's uplifting shit that has my sister wanting to fight.

I still don't like her though.

-

The next morning I'm waiting in the corridor, holding a cup of coffee and a bunch of flowers. They're white this time and look kind of frilly. They don't smell and I'm thankful. The last ones gave me a headache.

I catch a flash of colour out of the corner of my eye and I turn to look down the corridor.

417 is dressed in a huge purple cape and is wearing a wizard hat with yellow felt stars on it. When she turns, I see a grey, wispy beard to match. She is running full pelt down the corridor and I raise an eyebrow. She can run pretty fast for someone who is supposedly sick.

I can hear a chorus of giggles and remember the joint kids room that's at the far end of the building. 417 must be putting on a show.

A nurse wheels around the corner and I watch as 417 presses herself into a tiny cupboard. She appears to have disappeared, but reappears uncannily quickly, as the nurse rounds another corner.

I glance at my watch. She has the nurses shift change memorized. I wonder how much she gets away with that the nurses aren't aware of.

My sister's door opens and I turn my attention back to the scene in front of me, walking in and placing her new flowers in the crummy hospital-issue vase.

I dispose of the old ones and come to sit by her side.

"So, how are you today?"

"The same as yesterday, Ben" She retorts and I roll my eyes.

"You're missing 417's magic show out there. She looks like an idiot." I say, jerking my thumb behind me. Emily frowns.

"Her magic shows are on Thursdays, today's Tuesday."

"Well, I don't know what it was. She was dressed as a wizard."

"Oh, she's probably doing her one-man re-enactment of Harry Potter again. They love that down there."

"What?"

"Yeah, she re-enacts the whole first film by herself. Costumes and everything. She said she's working on the second one but there are some pretty quick costume changes."

"I don't understand." I say very slowly.

"She does it for a laugh, Ben! She knows she looks like an idiot and she breaks about 80 rules every time she does it but it makes them happy." She points down the hall.

I nod slowly.

"She does the Hobbit too, but that's a far lengthier production." She adds and I frown.

"I don't know why you dislike her so much." She says with a heavy sigh.

My frown deepens. Opening my mouth to respond, Emily beats me to it.

"Don't deny it, Ben. It's blaringly obvious, I just don't know why?"

I sigh and scoop up her hands in mine.

"I'm not here to make friends, Em. You worry about getting better and I'll attempt to be civil. Deal?"

"Deal." She smiles and I exhale heavily.

"You're a wizard, Harry!"

Her voice echoes down the hall and I shake my head in dismay.

"How does she get away with it?!" I ask incredulously.

"Usually, she doesn't. It's a rare event to see the entire re-enactment."

Emily giggles at the memory and I smile slightly. I grudgingly admit to myself that 417 has a knack at getting people to smile.

Maybe that's not such a bad thing, especially in here.