“I cannot diagnose him just yet. I have to run a few more tests to confirm what I found.”

           Eli glared at the man in front of him who calls himself an experience doctor. He ran his hands down his hair, in disbelief. How can this man call himself a doctor when he cannot be certain of an illness?

            “Well come on, you’re the doctor!” Eli snapped.

            The doctor simply shook his head, took his clipboard of his patients’ records off his table, pats Eli’s back and left the room. Eli dragged his feet out of the doctor office, his mind distracted. He made his way pass the patient’s common room watching some patients talking happily to their family members and stopped right at the door to Kevin’s ward.

            Eli hesitate a little as his hand grabbed the door knob, taking a deep breath, as he pushed the door open. Kevin was still unconscious on the bed, the life support system beeping steadily. He took a seat by the bed and stared at the only man in his life that could make him smile.

            Kevin looked so frail and vulnerable. His eyes were shut tight; making his long eye lashes stands out more. Eli’s eyes trails down to see the cheeks of the unconscious man lose its colour, his lips dry and cracked. Kevin was so thin; since when has he been losing weight? His best friend’s life was dependant on an oxygen mask, as Eli brushed his fingers lightly on the needles that pierced through Kevin’s veins on his hands; his pretty, thin hands.

            “Why do you have to hide something as serious as this to me, Kevin?” Eli whispered as he gently Kevin’s hair, choking back the tears.

∞

            “Mr. Eli?” Eli heard his name being called as he was slowly brought back to reality. He has been sleeping on the armchair in Kevin’s ward for the last two nights.

            “Hm?” Eli mumbled, as he rubbed the sleep off his eyes.

            “I’d like you to come over to my office for a moment. I have something to talk to you about,” the doctor who has been attending to Kevin; Dr. Lee said.

            Eli shot up from his seat and turned to the doctor. Oh no. Not the face.

            “Come with me,” Dr. Lee lead Eli out of the ward and into his office.

            “Have a seat,” Dr. Lee pointed out at the couch in the middle of his office. Eli did as he was told.

            His heart was racing. He’d been dying to know Kevin’s condition. Day in and day out, he’d only been watching the nurses; sometimes Dr. Lee doing their routine hourly checks. Watching the IV drops, jotting down the data they got from the support system next to Kevin’s bed, taking his blood pressure, checking his heartbeat and all but Eli was clueless to what Kevin is suffering from.

Eli was frustrated enough at the fact the Kevin kept this all to himself. Kevin endured all the pain alone. Why is it so hard to call out to Eli for help when they promised to never hide anything from each other; no matter how minor or serious.

‘No secrets between us.’

“Just, get straight to the point, Dr. Lee.” Eli breathed out.

“Well, its Leukaemia and it’s already at the serious stage where there is a fast development and building up of the malignant cells or the tumour cells,” Dr. Lee started.

Eli felt like the walls of the room closing down on him as the doctor explains further on the treatments that needed to be carried out almost immediately and how dangerous it could get until the doctor reached a point in the conversation which totally brought Eli’s already battered soul to his knees.

“The hospital is trying the best that we can. But it’s only a matter of time before Kevin actually loses out on this battle for his life. The chances are 50-50, Eli. I cannot assure you anything, but we’re doing our best.”

Eli dropped to his knees and pleaded, “Anything, just anything. I’d agree to whatever as long as that boy in there, laying on the bed so helpless could get back to his normal healthy self. Just anything, please. I beg you.”

 “I understand how you feel Eli. But he had this since he was young, it’s only a matter of time before this gets serious. He didn’t seek medical attention when he actually needs to. Don’t you know?” Dr. Lee brought Eli back to his feet as he grabbed both his shoulders.

“He didn’t tell me anything. I was kept in the dark, all this while.” Eli brawled, his heart can’t take it no more.

Dr. Lee hugged Eli to give him the strength this man really needs before walking out of the office to attend to his other patients.

“I’ll do what I can.” Dr. Lee said before leaving Eli feeling more alone than ever.

“Kevin, how could you?” Eli mumbled in between the sobs.