A Shattered World

"What crap are you telling me right now?" Denise said, not comprehending what the doctor was saying. It was something so foreign and hard to understand.

"Miss, please calm down, or it will worsen your current state. I know it's a bit difficult to take in, but I am sorry to tell you this."

The white walls of the four-cornered room were suffocating her every second she remained there, and every word coming out of his mouth pierced her over and over again. It was all too much, and she couldn't stop herself from bursting with anger.

"Is this a joke, doctor? Are you playing some kind of prank on me? How... How could you say that I have cancer? I am perfectly healthy! Why would you say that I only have one month left to live?!" she screamed as the teardrops came running down her face.

"Ma'am, please calm down, it is not good for you to exhaust yourself."

"No! Just leave me alone. All of you. Out now!"

They were a bit reluctant to follow her, and she could see it in their faces, that they felt sorry for her. However, they also saw that she had a firm yet emotional expression on her face.

With that, the doctor and nurses went outside, leaving Denise alone and rethinking everything that had happened in her life.

She lived a good life before. She was never a naughty child to her parents. She had always respected her elders. She helped all her classmates so that all of them would excel at school. She even helped people she didn't know.

So why was her life ruined now?
Is this all she gets for the good deeds she'd done? 

Does God think I'm a joke?

She sighed, slowly calming herself. Without noticing it, drops of salty liquid came running down her face again, and she couldn't keep herself from sobbing.

She sobbed... and sobbed... and sobbed until she cried herself to sleep.

The next day, she woke up to the sound of birds chirping near her window. It was just a simple sound, yet worth appreciating. However, in her current state, Denise could not bring herself to recognize it.

Just another sorrowful song sympathizing with me.

Using every ounce of strength, she managed to stand up from her bed and started walking out of her room towards the garden outside the hospital. It was just a small garden with pavements. The garden was filled with the harmonious laughter of patients and their families chatting with each other. Surrounding them were various colorful flowers that had a fragrant smell.

She walked continuously on the pavements and focused her attention on the spectacular view that she failed to notice the person who was walking towards her. All of a sudden, they bumped into each other, and she fell flat on the ground.

Due to the shock, she wasn't able to process what happened, and all she could see was an arm. It was a man's arm extending towards her, ushering her to take it. She raised her eyebrow.

Denise looked at the guy’s face. It was a nice change from the gloomy feelings inside her. He was tall and had a strong physique. His hair was cut short on the sides, and his eyes were a warm brown color. It felt weird to see such warmth after all the sadness she'd been feeling.

“Are you okay?” he asked, sounding worried. He had a kind smile that made Denise feel a little bit better.

Denise just looked at him. She was still thinking about everything that had happened. She felt cold inside, like she always did. “I’m fine,” she mumbled, hardly making a sound. She tried to stand up, but her legs felt weak.

The guy didn’t wait. He extended his hand, and his touch felt somehow strong and safe. “Let me help you,” he said.

Denise hesitated for a second. But she felt a strange urge to take his hand. So she took his hand, and allowed him to help her up.

“Thanks,” she said, her voice still quiet.

He smiled again. “No problem. I’m Andrey. I’m visiting a friend.”

“Denise,” she said, almost in a whisper.

They looked at each other for a moment. Denise saw something in Andrey’s eyes—maybe he understood how she felt. Or maybe he felt sorry for her.

She quickly looked away. She was used to keeping her feelings hidden. But Andrey’s kindness was making her feel a little different. Like a tiny crack was forming in the wall she'd built around her heart.

She turned to leave. She needed to calm down and be alone again.

“Wait,” Andrey said. “Are you okay? You look a little pale.”

Denise stopped. She touched her chest. She felt the pain, a reminder of how sick she was. She shook her head. She didn’t want to talk about it.

“I’m fine,” she said, trying to sound strong. “I just need some fresh air.”

“Well, if you’re going for a walk, maybe we can walk together?” Andrey asked. He sounded hopeful.

Denise thought about it. She was used to being alone. However, this guy is actually trying to make her feel less lonely.

“I…” she started, but then she stopped.

She wasn’t sure what to say. She wasn’t sure what to do. But all she felt was negativity. She doesn't want to associate with people anymore, knowing that she only has a short amount of time to be with them.

"Goodbye, thank you." Those were the words that came out of her mouth. With that, she quickly ran back to her room. She glanced at Andrey for a brief second before she continued to run. All she saw was a somewhat confused look painted on his face.

The next day, Denise found herself drawn back to the garden. She couldn't explain it, but she felt a strange pull towards the place where she had met Andrey. Perhaps it was the hope that he might be there, or maybe it was just the need for fresh air and a change of scenery.

She sat on the same bench where they had bumped into each other, her gaze fixed on the colorful flowers swaying gently in the breeze. A wave of sadness washed over her as she remembered the warmth in Andrey's eyes and the way he had tried to help her.

"You know, I'm not always this gloomy," she said out loud, her voice barely a whisper. "I used to love life, and I used to laugh a lot."

She paused, her thoughts drifting back to a time before the diagnosis, before the fear and the pain consumed her. She remembered the joy of spending time with her parents, the laughter shared with her friends, and the thrill of pursuing her dreams.

"But now, everything feels so fragile," she continued, her voice cracking. "Like a bubble that could burst at any moment."