Forgotten Child.
" Right this way, please." The nurse spoke, ushering the four boys into the elevator. They stepped in, the door closing after them. The nurse pushed the button for the 15th floor. The four boys she was with weren't just any boys. Their names were known all over Europe and North America. Bill and Tom Kaulitz, Georg Listing, and Gustav Schäfer. They made up the band Tokio Hotel.
" What does she have?" Tom asked, rocking on his heels. In his hands he held a small package neatly wrapped.
" She was diagnosed with liver cancer. She's dying." The nurse said, a tear rolling down her cheek. " And it's depressing. She thinks she's strong enough to survive it, she talks about her dreams and what she wants to do with her life but she's just so weak, it's killing her day by day, it brings pain to me that she'll never for fill her dreams. "
" How old is she?" Georg asked, also carrying a small package. They all were carrying something.
" She's seven." The nurse mumbled, trying with all her might not to cry. A few more tears escaped her eyes before she wiped them away with the back of her hand.
" You're close to her, aren't you?" Bill asked, patting her shoulder. She nodded.
" Her family and friends abandoned her. They used to come visit every day in the beginning. Then, the visited shortened, and they came once a week. Once a week turned into once a month, and soon, they just stopped They said they couldn't bear watching her withering away day after day." She breathed. The doors of the elevator opened.
" Come, follow me." She said. They stepped into a eerie, dimly lit hallway. The smell of blood was everywhere and strong too. Death seemed to lurk in every nook and cranny. The nurse led to the end of the corridor, stopping at a door which read "TW103."
" Wait here." She said, opening the door and walking in.
" Bonjour, Holly. Ça Va?" She asked.
" Ça Va," The girl replied. From the corridor it sounded like speaking was taking a lot of her energy.
" J'ai une surprise pour vous!" The nurse spoke, sounding cheerful. Bill wondered how much practice it took for her to show cheerfulness in such a situation like this.
" Vous savez le Tokio Hotel?" The nurse added.
" Oui, je savez Tokio Hotel." Came the muffled voice again. " Qu'avez-vous fait?" The girl asked, suspicion in her weak voice.
" Rien . . ." The nurse said, walking towards the door. She motioned them to enter. " Je les invite à vous voir." She said, pulling them inside.
Stepping inside, the scene of the little girl wanted to make them cry. She was very, very thin. She was practically a skeleton lying in that small bed in the middle of the room. You could see her bones through her arms, and the porcelain skin made in even worse. In her arms, several IVS and other needles were hooked up to machines on the right of the bed. The girl was whiter than the bed sheets. Her eyes, wide and a deep, emerald green, were leaking tears, probably shocked. Her eyes look like she lacked days of sleep, the skin under drooping. She had blonde locks, which looked like those old fashioned dolls with the curls. Her hair was pulled back tied with a red silk bow. She must've refused the medication. Tom thought, cause her hair was perfect. Maybe she knew there was no point, and that she was gonna die anyway. The thought brought a sudden ache in his heart.
" I'll be taking my leave now." The nurse spoke quietly, tip toeing out of the room. Bill swallowed.
" Bonjour, Holly. Je m'appelle Bill. Il est Tom, Gustav, et Georg . . ." He said, pointing to each of them. " Enchanté." He added, walking up to the bed and taking her small, fragile hand. He squeezed it slightly, and she tightened her grip.
" Enchantée." She mumbled, tears still slightly making there way down her pale cheeks. They landed with little splats on the sheets. She wiped them away with the back of her hand.
" Excuse moi." She said, sucking in a shallow breath.
" Il est bien." Bill said, pulling a handkerchief out of his pocket. She took it.
" Merci." She said, a tint of pink coming to her cheeks.
" Pas de problème." Bill said. Taking French in school was a wise decision.
" I want to thank you for coming to see me today. It has really brightened my day." She said, speaking broken English now, so the other three wouldn't feel left out.
" No problem. It's our pleasure." Gustav said, walking over to the bed and patting her head. Tom and Georg followed.
" I'll remember this for the rest of my life." She said. Those words broke Georg's heart. He felt like crying all of a sudden. How long did she have left. A week? A month? A year? What if it was tomorrow? Why did this have to happen to people, especially children. He stopped his thought short when he felt a tear slip down his cheek. Too late; Holly saw.
" Please don't cry. It's not your fault I'm in this situation." She said, patting his hand. She got a tissue from the bed stand and handed it too him.
" I'm sorry." He said, wiping away the tear. " Let's make the best of our time." With that she nodded.
The next hour and half was filled with questions, answers, and joyful conversations. They talked about their hopes and dreams, and many other things.
" Guys, it's time to go. You have a concert tonight." David, their producer, said, peeking his head into the door. " Bonjour, Holly." He added, smiling at her.
" Bonjour." She said, nodding her head.
" Can we come visit tomorrow?" Tom asked, looking from Holly to David, and back again.
" If it's alright with Mademoiselle Holly." He said, pointing towards Holly.
" It's alright with me." She said, nodding. Tom smiled. Holly made a major impact on Tom, and probably she'd be in his memory for a long, long time.
" Make sure to watch the concert." Tom said, leaning down and kissing her forehead.
" Yes." Bill added, also kissing her forehead. Gustav and Georg too.
" Au revoir." She said, as they walked out the door. Nurse Anastasie walked in.
" Voulez-vous que je mis en place à la télévision?" Nurse Anastasie asked, walking up to the TV.
" Oui, merci." Holly said, glancing up to the screen. She turned her torso, grabbing her glasses. Nurse Anastasie nodded and flipped to the channel.
" Quand je serai mieux, je vais être à l'un de leurs concerts . . ." Holly spoke, looking up at the screen. At the moment, camera crews were interviewing fans and showing viewers what the stage looked like. Nurse Anastasie stayed silent as she listened.
About half and hour later, fans were allowed inside the stadium. Not to long after, Bill came on stage.
" BONJOUR PARIS!" He yelled into the microphone. The crowd went nuts. Holly rolled her eyes. She clutched the angel Hello Kitty plushie Tom had given her.
" Je veux dédier cette chanson à Holly!" He added. The crowd looked confused. " Nous espérons vous retrouver bientôt pour que vous puissiez venir nous voir vivre." He added. Now the crowd new what he was talking about. All over the French and German media it was said TH would be visiting a patient as her last wish. Tom started playing, as well as Georg and Gustav.
" No one knows how you feelNo one there you'd like to seeThe day was dark and full of painYou write help with your own blood'Cause hope is all you've gotYou open up you eyesBut nothings changedI don't want to cause you troubleDon't wanna stay too longI just came here to say to youTurn around, I am hereIf you want it's me you'll seeDoesn't count, far or nearI can hold you when you reach for meYour life is meaninglessYour diary full of trashIt's so hard to get along with empty handsYou're looking for the rainbowBut it died not long agoIt tried to shine just for youUntil the endI don't want to cause you troubleDon't wanna stay too longI just came here to say to youI am by your sideJust for a little whileTurn around, I am hereIf you want it's me you'll seeDoesn't count, far or nearI can hold you when you reach for meIf the world makes you confusedAnd your senses you seem to loseIf the storm doesn't want to diffuseAnd you just don't know what to doLook around, I am hereDoesn't count far or nearI am by your sideJust for a little whileTurn aroundTurn around, I am hereTurn aroundDoesn't count, far or nearTurn aroundIf you want it's me you'll seeTurn aroundI can hold you when you reach for meTurn around, I am hereDoesn't count, far or nearI am by your sideJust for a little whileWe'll make it if we try . . ."
Tears filled her eyes. Rivers of tears ran down her eyes. She took off her glasses, placing them back in the case. Her heart started to beat faster. Wait, what's going on? I feel . . . Strange. Like, I'm choking! She clutched her throat. It was as if someone placed a plastic bag over her head. Her head was burning, like she was being burnt alive. The time had come. She was dying. She still had a chance. She tried reaching for the emergency button on the edge of the bed. Nurse Anastasie said to use it if something like this happened. She was only centimeters away from the remote, she pushed the button, but her hand dropped after. Her body slumped forward. A single tear escaped her open eyes, landing on her Hello Kitty plushie. She was gone . . .
" Hurry Bill!" Tom said, walking down the corridor. He seemed in a good mood today. He walked turned the corner, and stopped. Bill crashed into him.
" What the hell Tom?" He asked.
" What's wrong?" Gustav asked, walking next to Tom. Tom pointed. The nurse from yesterday was wheeling a bed down the hall, straight towards them.
" PLEASE DON'T LET IT BE!" Tom shrieked, tears pouring out. The nurse nodded, crying too.
" She died after your song ' By Your Side.'" She said, uncovering the body. It looked like she was asleep. But they knew better,
" I better get her to the morgue." The nurse said, wheeling her into the elevator. That was the last time they saw her . . .
