A TIME TO HEAL Chpt 2

Hey dude so how did the hockey training go then asked Kyle smilling 

Oh don't even go their omg it was hopeless said Stan sighing 

That bad shurly working with little kids arnt that bad Kyle said trying not to laugh 

Kyle you have no idea  their hopeless the kids can't even Skate  let alone play hockey if I had a doller for every time a kid fell on that ice well I'd be richer than Token  and if they think they can win anything jeeze  their crazy  Stan said 

Wow that bad is it said Kyle  with a laugh

Worse and stop laughing its not bloody funny  and also to make matters worse one of the kids I met has Cancer  and the other kids think they can get cancer from him by playing with him  so I had to tell them it's safe to go near him and to touch him they won't catch it Cancers not like a cold or chicken pox Stan said 

Wow Cancer God that sucks poor kid so is he on your team asked Kyle 

Yeah he's one of the older Kids  he's about 5  I think he's in Kindergarten  Nelson Brown  I think that's his name  does your Ike know him Stan asked 

Dunno  I don't pay much attention to Ikes friends yet he sounds older than Ike  so very much doubt it  but iv never heard of him yet I don't know any of the tinies in Kindergarten Kyle added 

Yeah same here  yet I think their is a Brown family  that lives near by  the dad works in the gas station dunno what the.dad does but iv never really heard of Nelson  before   But I feel really bad for him  the poor kid  and he seems to love ice hockey  he's one if not the only kid that can skate  but thing is he isn't fit  to play the game  and iv never met a kid with cancer before  I thought only really old pepole got cancer not little kids Stan said sadly 

Yeah I'm aware that anyone can get cancer  old pepole and little kids  but listen they have cures now a days  I'm shure  they'll do all they can for your new friend Stan so don't worry he'll be fine  Kyle said rubbing Stans back 

Yeah I heard he's getting treatment and that  also he's lost all his hair too Stan said 

Oh that will be chemotherapy  their giving him  they give that to pepole who has cancer it's ment to help them  but sometimes it dosent depends how bad his cancer is really  abd that's one of the side effects they lose their hair but don't worry I'm shure your friend will be fine and when he gets better his hair will grow back  Kyle added. Smilling 

Stan smilled  Kyle was a very bright boy way ahead of his 8 years  no wonder he got nothing but straight As and was top student in the school  but also though Stan nearly knew Nelson he somehow liked the little boy 

Stan seen Nelson a few times at practice and he liked how good he was he had the makings of a good player and he impressed Stan 

When I get better and grow up  I really wanna play ice hockey  at the Pepsi centre that's my dream  to be famouse and on tv  Nelson said  and Stan really hoped  that little Nelson would fulfill his dream and be famouse  even though the truth was the boy was termily  ill  and would be lucky If he lived to see his next birthday 

Then one day a couple of weeks later  when Stan  was due to coach  the kids  again he noticed Nelson  missing  so he thought maybe the boy was tierd  as he tired very easily  as he was a weak frail boy 

Then one of the ice rink workers  showed up as Stan got everything ready for class 

Hey Stan  theirs  some pepole here to see you  the man said adults too 

Who me  wonder why Stan said as a young couple  walked up to him  the woman looked if she'd been crying 

Hey coach  are you Stan Marsh  the man said coming over 

Er yeah  why said Stan worriedly in case he was in trouble 

Hi son were the Browns  little Nelsons parents he's in your class 

Oh yeah I know him he's a good kid  yeah he's on my team why asked Stan 

Er son can we please talk to you  a moment it's about our Nelson  the man said sadly 

Er yeah shure  he's not here today is he okay Stan asked worriedly 

Well as you. Probely know  Nelson has Leukemia  and he's taken a turn for the worse oh coach his cancers really bad  it's spread  Mr Brown said starting to cry  whist being comforted by his sobbing wife 

Oh er I'm so sorry is their anything I can do will he be okay asked Stan  shocked 

Yeah he collapsed at home and was rushed to hospital  last night  doctors are saying thise could be it  he's dying coach our little Nelsons dying  but how do we tell him  he's asking questions he's so bright for his age  wants to know everything  tell me coach how do we look a 5 year old child in the eye and tell him he's gonna die  that will shatter all his dreams  of being a famouse ice hockey player how or what will I tell him he won't even live to see his next birthday  let alone grow up to be an adult  he's our  only son  our only child so much wanted  and he's dying  how do I tell him that coach mr Brown said now in tears 

Look stop it Jack  thise won't help Nelson  he needs us to be strong  look I'm sorry Stan he's just broken hearted  and dosent mean to take it out on you  Nelsons the light of his life and now thise has happend and he's lost his Job were just under so much pressure  Mrs Brown said sadly 

Yeah im sorry son I didnt mean to yell at you  it's just that I don't know what to say to him  really I'm hopeless at these things  both of us are and sad thing is neither of us can look him in the face  and tell him  Nelson dosent even know he's dying  he thinks he's gonna recover and get better  and grow up to be famouse one day  like his heros he watches on tv or in his magazines  listen coach will you tell him  Nelson looks up to you  he's been talking about you non stop your like a brother to him  Mr Brown said 

Wow I nearly know him I only met him a few weeks ago  Stan begain 

Please coach I'm begging  you he idolises you Mr brown said 

Wel  I'm deeply touched  by that  and as I said Nelson is a really good kid  very keen player and yeah I like him  but I'm sorry no I can't tell him that he's gonna die  I think that should be your job your his parents  and outside thise practice sessions I don't even see Nelson  Stan said 

Nah not me coach im just his father  but your his coach his buddy  your more of a father than me to him  mr Brown said 

Well I'm sorry I began Stan but got cut off by Mr Brown who was now on his knees shocking Stan 

Please coach please I'm begging you will you please tell him he's in Hells pass  hospital and he's asking for you  he misses you Mr Brown said grabbing Stans hand 

Oh boy  Stan  mutterd to himself 

Er yeah okay  I'll visit him but I can't be a father to him  I'm not much older than him myself only like  3  years between us were both just little kids  but I can give some big brother like advice  like my friend Kyle gives his little brother Stan said 

That be perfect  oh thank you coach thank you so much  Mr Brown said 

So that was it  Stan had  to go and see Nelson at the hospital  and Stan wasent keen on hospital  and avoided them like the Plauge  yet he thought about how little Nelson would feel  alone  scared in the hospital  so he forced himself to visit 

Stan went up next day his mom dropped him off on her way to work and Stan soon found the ward that Nelson was in  he wished Kyle was with him but it being the weekend Kyle was  roped into helping his mom with. The shopping and Kenny was probely  at  Starks pond  with Craig and Tweek or at home reading some porn magazine  and Cartman would rip on Nelson so Stan was on his own 

Soon Stan knocked on Nelsons door and after hearing a tiny voice saying come in he enterd the room 

Nelson looked worse  than ever a tiny  frail looking figure lost  in the huge bed even though the bed was normal size also he was hooked up to machines  that bleeped and drips.  Also his pale brown eyes looked lifeless  no sparkle in them atall  his skin was pale and he had dark shadows under his eyes  and a sick bowl near by him 

Now it really hit Stan hard  that Nelson could die it was terrible seeing him like thise he shouldn't be like thise  he should be out playing fit and heathy with his little friends  in the sun  he was just a little kid and he was suffering badly  but despite his thoughts Stan had to be cheerful for the boy  whist he remaind in his room 

 

Stan looked around the room  sighing it was decorated  with cards flowers  with messages  of Get well soon  from his little friends and a huge handmade banner saying  we love you Nelson  that hung above his bed  and a balloon saying get well soon. Was near by 

As Stan went in he put a smile on his face and sounded cheery  Oh hey their Nelson  Stan said smilling 

Nelson shifted into a sitting position  and smilled a bit  despite coughing  

Oh hi their coach thanks for coming he said 

Er dude I can always come back later if thise is a bad time  for you  Stan said  going over to the bed 

Yeah it is a pretty bad time for me I guess  you see coach  I'm only 5 years old and I'm  dying pepole try to hide the truth  but I know I'm dying  coach what is it like to die  Nelson asked. Shocking Stan 

Oh Jeeze that kid  can really catch  you  out with his questions  Stan thought 

Er  I'm not shure really  I kinda think it be like before you were born  I guess Stan said  I dunno really he added 

Oh I see so  why do I have to die  now why don't I get to grow up  and be an ice hockey player  I don't wanna die just now  does it hurt when you die   Nelson said sadly 

God damn it kid  look I don't know  Why things like thise just happen I'm not God  Stan yelled a bit 

Nelson detected frustration  in Stans voice if he was getting pissed now so he quickly apologised 

Look Nelson  what I mean  is that nobody  really knows  these things see but everyone  does it were all gonna die  no one gets to live forever  were all gonna die one day  me your parents my parents  my friends at school  their families  everyone's gonna die  when our time comes  but mostly pepole die as old grown ups  but  young grown ups even little kids die too  and some pepole die before their even born  you see so your not the only one  who will die young  see so do you  feel better now  Stan said smilling 

Yeah I think so said Nelson returning the smile 

Good okay then ..now I have to get back to practice I have more coaching to do later but you hang on in their kid  I'll viisit soon  I'll bring you some magazines and that Stan smilled  giving Nelson a thumbs up and headed for the door but Nelson called out again stopping him 

Thanks coach your awesome  but will you do me one huge favour coach said Nelson as Stan  came back into the room 

Er yeah shure  I'll try  he said  thinking that maybe that Nelson wanted some water to drink  or a newspaper or something from the vending machine in the corridor  but Stanngot a suprise by Nelsons request 

Coach you know that big game  your in  tonight Nelson said 

Er yeah what about it  asked Stan   Looking at Nelson 

Well  I'm gonna  be watching it on tv  so can you  make it for me so that I don't have cancer and that I will grow up to be a famouse ice hockey player  Nelson asked 

Stan was shocked that Nelson had some really big demands  jeeze is he kiddin he really thinks im God iv never met anyone like him. Stan thought shocked 

Look dude didn't you hear anything what I said  I told you  I can't do that wish I could but I can't  I'm not  God im just a kid like yourself  so I can't cure you sorry  Stan said 

Well then  will you just win  for me  Nelson asked making Stan sigh

Yeah okay I'll try can't grantee anything but I'll try my best Stan said leaving before Nelson hit him with other hard demands 

Though Stan did like Nelson  at times he didn't like him he asked questions  he didn't know the awnser too  and gave him demands he couldn't carry out  Stan had never met anyone like Nelson  in his entire life at times he wanted to tell the kid to shut up and stop all the self pity  and why me carry on  but that would maybe hurt him and Stan would hate to hurt Nelsons feelings