True Borns

Anahi

I cradled my sister for the last time, she was only four and yet she was going to die.

Due to a recently developed illness, her body was deteriorating in a very quick pace. And there was nothing that could stop it.

It was a pretty rare illness and my sister happened to be one of the few to have it. What luck.

It was more of her deteriorating on the inside, it wasn't that bad on the outside, but there we spots here and there where it was scary to look.

She was a brave soul, it was her choice to stay alive this long anyway. The doctors said that they could peacefully end her life when she was 1, but my father wanted for her to choose for herself so as soon as she could write or speak, she said she wanted to stay alive for as long as she could.

And this was how long she could live.

"I don't want you to cry." She spoke into the silence, somehow knowing that tears were escaping my eyes.

I tried to stabilize my voice as I said, "I'm not crying, don't you worry sweetheart."

I kissed the top of her head and hugged her tightly, and in return she squeezed my arm. I smiled as I tried not to think about this.

She made conversation with me and it was all random, from favourite movies to imagining yellow crocodiles. Soon though, it had to end.

"It's time Mr Oka." The doctor from the private hospital we were in sadly smiled at us.

My father stood up, walked over to me and Kira, I let her go, he hugged her like he never has before.

"I love you so much Kira, always know that."

We soon left the room and as I looked back at her, she was smiling at us. A twinkle in her eye there was.

I knew that twinkle. She could not wait to leave.

We stood by the window that looked into her room as the doctors laid her down on her bed, attached a needle to her arm, keyed in some things into a screen before them, and not long after, Kira closed her eyes and we knew she was gone.

She was no longer in pain.