Dylan Chilchik- Task 2

I saw him there sitting on the bench. At first I couldn’t believe that it was really him. I could see his pale white face, and that all of the hair on his head was gone. He looked like he was dead but somehow alive. I felt so much pain and sadness just looking at him. Seeing what the cancer had done to him. It showed me for the first time how awful cancer was. In fact, I don’t think I would have known it was him if my grandmother hadn’t pointed him out for me.

He rose to his feet and started slowly walking towards me. I saw tears in his eyes as he came closer. I ran to him and hugged him as tight as I could. I didn’t want to let go knowing I might loose him soon. I burst into tears and he hugged me tighter. I was extremely happy to see him again after about two or three years. It felt like forever since I’d seen his face and knowing it could be the last time brought more tears to my eyes.

I couldn’t imagine how extremely sad my dad must have been, since it was his dad that we knew we were going to loose forever. I could still remember playing games with him at the beach or park or wherever it was. He had this smile that lit up the whole place, but now it was different. Now when he smiled it you could see the pain he was going through and how week he was.

We had just landed in Johannesburg, South Africa and I could see my parents already felt more at home then they ever did in Australia. It was probably also to do with the fact that most of their family lived here. Also our closest friends who feel like family to us, the Malkins live here too. They came to the airport as well. We started to head home as everyone said their hello to everyone else, some of us went with the Malkins and the rest of us went with my grandparents.

It was a long drive home because our grandparents lived quite far away from the airport. Once we arrived we didn’t unpack because we weren’t staying long. The doctors said it was very likely that my grandfather, Barney, was going to pass away this week. The bad bit was that we didn’t know when. He was already staying in hospital and they said he could only come to the airport to see his family then he had to go back there.

After we put our stuff in our rooms we went to the hospital for the day so we could stay with my grandfather. On the way there I noticed that my grandfather fell asleep constantly at random moments. I knew he could at any time fall asleep and then just not wake up again. When we got to the hospital we all got something to eat and then went to where my grandfather as staying. I fell asleep for a couple hours and when I woke up there was some bad news waiting for me.

My mom came to me when I woke and told me what the doctors had told everyone else. They said that he was going to pass away today or tomorrow. I couldn’t believe I had so little time left. I then spent the next few hours right next to his bed listening to him breathing and sleeping. I was scared he was going to wake up. In a way, I was sort of hoping he would die in that manner.

It was six a clock when the doctors told us that we should say our good byes now in case, because he could go at any second. I went in first. “Hi Zeida (that is what I called him), I just wanted to come in and tell you how much I love you and always will.” That is when I burst out crying. He grabbed my hand and told me that it was his time to leave and that I mustn’t be upset. I said all right and then as I was walking out the door he told me to call everyone in. This is what I did.

When everyone was in there my dad said his goodbye. This was when everyone started crying. My grandfather then said his goodbye to each of us. He was using all his strength to speak and say his last words. Then, on his last word, he shut his eyes. I knew that he was gone forever now.