It was a long time before Adam came back, tears in his eyes and looking pale. Alyson jumped up, �Is she okay? What is it?� she asked, just as his parents followed him into the room.
�Alyson, Kennedi, Tara, Siobhan. Madison wants to be the one to tell you. You can come with me to her room, she�s asking for you.� Alexander said, motioning the girls to follow him.
Siobhan and Tara both got up shakily, and Kennedi and Alyson steadied them. They followed Alexander down the hall, into the elevator, up two floors, and then down the hall to a room.
�You can go on in. I�ll be right outside if Madison needs anything.� Alexander opened the door for them, and Alyson and Tara went in.
Siobhan whimpered, �Tell me it�s okay before I go in, please.� she begged Kennedi.
�It�s okay, honey.� Kennedi looked in, �It�s okay, it�s just Madison, and she looks fine.�
Kennedi and Siobhan went in, �Hey.� Kennedi smiled, going to the bed and squeezing her friend�s hand, �How are you sweetie?� she asked.
Madison held up her arm, which had an IV needle in it, �I�m a pincushion.� she said, trying her best to smile, �You guys look good.� she said, trying to sound cheerful.
Siobhan wanted to ask what was wrong with her, but she didn�t dare. She was happy not knowing at the moment. Finally Alyson did, �Maddi, honey, what�s happened?� she asked.
�Um....� Madison looked flustered, and her eyes were full of tears, �You guys should sit.� she motioned to the bed and some chairs. Tara and Alyson took the chairs, and pulled them close to the bed. Kennedi perched on the foot of the bed, near Madison�s feet, and Siobhan leaned against her, half on and half off the bed, �Syvanni, I mean it, all the way on the bed, please.� Madison said, and Kennedi shifted over so Siobhan could get on.
�Maddi, how bad is it?� Tara asked, shakily.
�Its....bad.� Madison said, and put up her hand as Alyson started to speak, �I�m just going to say it okay?� she said, shakily, �Well, two months ago, I started to get these headaches. Then I started vomiting in the morning. I didn�t think much of it, but this morning, my vision was blurred when I woke up, and then, of course, I fainted in class. So, anyways, the doctors did their tests and....and.....� tears dripped down Madison�s face. Siobhan knew then and there, Madison was dying. She never cried, ever.
�Maddi, baby, what....� Tara said, slipping her hand into Madison�s free one. Siobhan leaned onto Kennedi, not sure she wanted to hear what was to come next.
�I-I....there�s something wrong with my head. Medulloblastoma the doctor calls it. A brain tumor.� There. She had said it.
Tara and Kennedi both drew in their breaths, tears leaking down Tara�s face. Siobhan went numb, and just sat there, not moving. Alyson went numb, too, and her voice was a whisper when she asked, �Is it....is it....?� she couldn�t finish.
�Cancer. Yeah. It�s a tumor that starts in the cerebellum and grows very very fast to other parts of the brain. Mine�s the size of a softball, and it�s starting down my spinal cord.� Madison explained, her voice shakier than ever.
�Can it...can you have treatment?� Alyson asked, the only one who seemed to have her voice at the moment.
�Well, the doctors said they could try, but there�s not much hope. It�s deep in my brain now, and even if they did operate, they wouldn�t be able to get it all out. So, my parents and I have decided that I�m to spend my last days at home, on pain medications.� Madison was just about to burst into tears, but she held them back. She couldn�t look at Siobhan, she just kept looking at Alyson as she answered her questions.
�H-H-how....how long until....� even Alyson�s voice was shaky now, and she cried even less than Madison.
�The doctors say I�m going to be lucky to make it until Thanksgiving.� Madison�s voice shook horribly.
�Oh, God, Maddi.� Alyson broke down in tears, and Madison held out her arms for her friends. Alyson and Tara slipped into her arms, and Kennedi went to do the same when she realized Siobhan hadn�t budged for several minutes.
�Syvanni?� she asked, looking sideways, �Syvanni, darling?�
Tara looked over, �Oh, my God, she isn�t breathing!� she cried, and rushed over to her friend and started shaking her.
Kennedi started tapping her on the back, �Siobhan breathe, sweetie, you have to breathe.� she begged.
Alyson came over and looked her in the face. Siobhan seemed gone, off somewhere, �Syvanni!� she screamed. Tara continued to shake her gently, and Kennedi tap her on the back for almost a full minute, until Siobhan, blue in the face, took a breath of air, and started to cry, loudly.
�Syvanni, sweet girl, come here. Come to Maddi.� Madison said, reaching for her. Siobhan crawled into her arms and just sobbed. Alyson, Tara, and Kennedi followed suit, and the five of them sat there, crying, at one in the morning.
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