Age:
High School
Reading Level: 2.5
Chapter One
I sit beside her trying to keep my thoughts focused. But the irregular beeps, mass of wires, and tubes coming out of her body distract me.
Sometimes it’s easier.
Last time I volunteered was for a little boy, Ren. His parents had to work. His friends were at school. So they asked me.
Ren’s medication made him tired, but it eased the itching. And stopped the skin disease from being painful.
He was happy to see me. We played all sorts of games. I was glad when Ren got better but sorry too. I knew I’d miss him.
My role is not to keep friends. My job is to look after children when necessary.
This time it’s difficult. The girl, whose name we don’t know, is unconscious.
We don’t know her age. Someone wrote on her screen that she’s around nine years old.
We know she’s from far away.
We know, somehow, she reached us.
We know she is very sick.
Chapter Two
There are a few theories.
The most popular is her people could no longer help her. They thought we might. So they programmed a transport to land here.
It’s a miracle it did, such a rickety, rundown old thing.
Another theory suggests they put her on it to die. That they were trying to remove the risk of contagion. This means it was just good fortune it found us.
I refuse to believe this.
She’s such a beautiful young thing. Her hair is blacker than any darkness. Her cheeks are almost translucently pale. I can practically see through her skin.
I haven’t seen her smile. I imagine it’s as graceful as her long arms, her long legs, her delicate feet.
She’s wearing a loose white shirt and pants. I can see the outline of her slim body.
She’s tiny. This adds to her sweet fragility.
Chapter Three
I’m supposed to be in the middle of a meditational prayer, focusing on wellness, recovery, and health. Honestly, I’ve been coming here for such a long time it’s hard for my mind not to wander.
Poor River spends time after work alone, while I’m willing this stranger to recover.
It’s too quiet in our house, he tells me. He wishes her better so I can have a well-earned break.
Perhaps we could even try again? He desperately wants a baby. I’m not so sure.
Our world is full of suffering. And what would I do? Volunteers must be childless.
We can’t have other obligations. We never know for how long our help will be required.
“Come on,” he urged, the last time we made love. “Don’t take that damn pill. Let’s at least take a chance on it.”
I smiled at him and put it away in my drawer. When he went to get a drink, I took it anyway.
I’m not taking any chances.
