The Rev's Undying Syn

I knocked on James’s door and waited for him to answer. I turned and saw dad waiting. I rubbed my arms and looked back at the door as it opened.

“Hey Grace.” He said and I walked in.

“So how was it?” He asked.

“I don’t like my family.” I simply said plopping on the couch. I sneezed and he chuckled.

“Why you laughing at my sneeze foo’?” I asked.

“It’s cute.” He commented and went to the kitchen.

“How is it cute?” I asked.

“It sounds like a mouse.” He smiled and took out a bucket of ice cream. He started eating it as he walked up the stairs.

“You’re gonna give me some of that right?” I asked.

“Only if you’re good.” He said.

“I am good.” I said. He shook his head smiling. He plopped down on his bed and I looked at him.

“Pweese give me ice cweem.” I said in my cute baby voice that I knew he couldn’t deny.

“Really, the voice?” He asked. I nodded giving him the puppy dog lip and eyes.

“Oh my god.” He said and handed it to me.

“So we gonna start up a band?” I asked through a spoonful of the chocolaty goodness.

“Sure, what would you wanna do?” He asked.

“Sing and play guitar. I would do drums but that would be awkward.” I said.

“Well you could still be drums but be a backup singer, like your dad.” He said. I thought about it, eating a spoonful of ice cream slowly.

“Ok stop eating the ice cream that way.” He said.

“Why you getting a hard one?” I asked looking at him. I knew he liked me, sad part is I don’t feel that same way, or do I?

“Maybe, just stop or I take it away.” He said and turned to his laptop. He logged in and opened a word document.

“Ok so you’re on drums right?” He asked and I nodded.

“And I’ll play bass, so we need a rhythm guitarist, lead guitarist, and singer/screamer.” He said and started typing.

“What would we be called?” I asked.

“Um. . .” He said.

“Prime Condition.” I said and he looked at me questioningly.

“What it sounds cool.” I said and continued eating. I jumped and screeched as I felt my phone vibrate.

Where are u? – Val.

James’s – Me.

James continued to type and I lay on his bed and stared at the ceiling and slowly it started disappearing.

I felt a sudden jerk and opened my eyes and saw James.

“I finished the flyer for auditions.” He said. “And it’s 7.” I nodded yawning.

“I’ll call my dad.” I said. I found my phone on the ground and bumped my arm a bruise immediately appearing.

“Is that supposed to happen?” He asked.

“James, it’s a bruise.” I said and found dad’s number and text him to get me. I walked downstairs and coughed. I thought about the bruise and I’ve been bruising easily lately. I rubbed my arm and my elbow started to hurt. I saw headlights and hugged James.

“See ya tomorrow.” I said and he nodded. I ran out and climbed into the car.

“So did you have fun?” Leana asked.

“Yeah, I fell asleep.” I said rubbing my bruise.

“What you rubbing?” She asked turning around a corner.

“A bruise.” I said.

“Were you and him beating each other up?” She asked..

“No I hit a table and a bruise immediately showed up.” I said.

“Um.” She said and pulled into the driveway.

“It’s ok; if anything else goes wrong I’ll tell you.” I said and she nodded as we walked inside. I heard muffled talking in the other room.

“A7X meeting, do not disturb.” She said and went up to her room, I did the same and plopped on my bed. I curled up and fell asleep.

Two Weeks Later

I looked up at the board and watched the teacher effortlessly.

“Miss Sullivan please pay attention.” He said. I nodded and put my head down, suddenly feeling light headed. I closed my eyes.

“Miss Sullivan go to the principal’s office.” The teacher said. I raised my head. I grabbed my bag. I walked out of the room and started walking towards the office. I got light headed and rammed into a locker. I slid down it and saw bruises starting to form. I closed my eyes and sighed. I heard footsteps and looked up. I saw Jake, the school bully and quarterback of the football team and the enemy.

“Why is miss emo on the ground?” He asked standing above me.

“Shut it Jake, I don’t feel well.” I mumbled and opened my eyes and looked at him.

“Oh my god what’s wrong? Wait I don’t care.” He said laughing with his friends. I coughed and coughed again. I took my hand away and saw red. I gasped and started hyperventilating.

“Whoa is that blood?” Jake asked. I nodded and slowly stood up.

“Dude you need to go to the office.” He said and I nodded again, but when I tried to walk I stumbled at fell over to the floor, my head bouncing.

Jake’s POV

I watched Grace fall to the floor.

“Dude go get Mrs. Jansen.” I yelled and bent over Grace. Ok I know I may seem like a bad person to her, but in all truth I like her. But I know that her and James are best friends and he likes her. I rolled Grace over and saw a bruise on her face.

“What the hell?” I mumbled and heard rapid clicks. I turned my head and saw Mrs. Jansen.

“Jake help me get her to the office.” She said and I picked Grace up bridal style. We walked to the office and Mr. Green looked at us.

“What happened?” He asked.

“I was messing with Grace and she coughed up blood, then she tried to walk and stumbled and fell, her head bounced.” I said laying her on the bed in the infirmary.

“Call the hospital Hannah and Gretchen call her family. Jacob you can go back to class.” Mr. Green said.

“Actually can I stay here?” I asked.

“No go back to class.” HE said and I walked out.

Leana’s POV

I was sitting in the study working on a flyer for the grill when the phone rang. I grabbed it and answered.

“Sullivan household.” I said.

“Yes Mrs. Sullivan, your daughter Grace, is unconscious and you need to come up here.” I dropped the phone and shot to my car and drove up to the school. I ran in and went to the office.

“Mrs. Sullivan?” Mr. Green asked.

“Yes where is Grace?” I asked. He pointed to the health room. I saw her and started crying. WE heard the door open and the EMT’s came in and put her on the gurney. They transported her to the hospital put her in a room. I was told to stay in the waiting room.

“What? Why she is my fucking daughter you better let me see her.” I said.

“Mrs. Sullivan you need to wait in the waiting room until they finish the tests.” She said.

“What tests are they doing?” I asked.

“I cannot answer that, you are going to have to ask the doctor.” She answered and went back to work.

“Um can I speak with him now?” I asked.

“Sure I’ll page him.” She said. I nodded and I sat in the waiting room waiting for the doctor to come and talk with me. I heard the door open and saw a young doctor.

“Um are you Grace Sullivan’s mother?” He asked. I nodded and he came and sat by me.

“Well actually can we talk in my office?” He asked. I saw the door open and in ran James and Jimmy.

“Oh my god where is she?” Jimmy asked.

“Jimmy let’s go talk with the doctor. James wait here.” I said and gave him my iPad. We walked into the back and went into an office.

“Well first off I am Dr. Forreman, I am an Oncologist.” He said.

“Ok what tests are you running?” I asked.

“We are running a lung biopsy, a bone marrow biopsy-“

“Bone marrow?! Why are you doing a bone marrow biopsy?” Jimmy asked.

“Grace has symptoms of Acute myeloid leukemia.” He said.

“Cancer?” I whispered.

“Yes, we looked back into her families medical records and four people got it, or types of Leukemia.” The doctor said. I looked at Jimmy.

“Wait so what happens if the bone marrow comes back negative?” I asked.

“WE do further, more in depth, tests to find out what is wrong.” HE said. We stood and he escorted us to the waiting room. I looked up and saw all of a7x and the girls.

“What’s wrong with her?” Matt asked standing.

“WE don’t know yet.” I said and sat down.

“I hope she is ok.” Val said leaning on Matt.

Two hours later

I sighed as I leaned on Jimmy. He was rubbing my back and we waited. Matt had gone to get us food and coffee, we all had a feeling we were going to be here a while. I felt another tear drop.

“Mr. Mrs. Sullivan how are you doing?” I heard and sat up and saw Dr. Forreman.

“Worried about Gracey.” Jimmy mumbled.

“Well we got results.” He said.

“What is it?” I asked anxious.

“Come with me.” He said and we walked behind him to his office.

“So what is it, is she ok?” Jimmy asked sitting.

“Well, we ran the tests, did the biopsies and we found what was wrong.” He said.

“What is it?” I asked getting worried more and more each second.

“The lung biopsy came back with a negative, we ran a pregnancy test to be sure, and that was negative. WE did breathing tests, and a diabetes test. That came back negative. And we were stumped, because the bone marrow results hadn’t come back. WE went through more possibilities and went back to her family medical records, found things on the heart, and nerves. Well nerves wouldn’t cause bruises or coughing up blood.” He said

“Ok what about the heart?” I asked holding Jimmy’s hand.

“We thought, ya know, it could be that. So we went and did a heart scan and nothing showed up. WE then waited for 5 minutes and the bone marrow results came back.” He said putting a folder on the table.

“Look for yourselves.” He said. I grabbed it and opened it. I saw a few confusing sentences and then saw one that stood out, like it was the only one there.

Grace Sullivan has Acute myeloid leukemia.

My hand went to my mouth and I gasped and felt tears fall.

“She has cancer.” I whispered ever so quietly. Jimmy snatched the paper and looked. He got silent and I looked at him and he was crying.

“WE are going to have to start chemotherapy. We would do two phases, induction and post-remission or consolidation.” He said. “Our goal in the inductions phase is to get her to a complete remission. The goal of consolidation therapy is to eliminate any residual undetectable disease and achieve a cure.” I nodded.

“Ok, um yeah, do that.” Jimmy mumbled and hugged me.

“WE will start with the first treatment tomorrow morning.” HE said and we stood.

“Thank you Dr. Forreman. I know she’s in good hands.” Jimmy said.

“How?” He asked.

“You treated my mother.” He said and Dr. Forreman nodded.

“Would you like to see Grace?” The doctor asked.

“You go Jimmy, I’ll talk with the others.” I said and Jimmy nodded and followed Dr. Forreman.

Jimmy’s POV

I walked into Grace’s room and saw her weak limp body. I walked over to her and grabbed her hand.

“Grace it’ll be ok.” I said. “We’ll get through this. Together.” I kissed her forehead and sat on the chair. I watched her sleep and opened my wallet. I saw the picture of Grace when she was little, we found it at the house.

“Oh how I wish you were still this young.” I said.