2003 School Magazine

Everyone thought he wasjust working too hard Another doctor. Another hospital visit. 'Till Christmas' He had until Christmas

ORIGINAL W o R K S

He took his girls on a holiday, to a place they all had Such fond memories of. He was in agonising pain - The flight was terrible. When they arrived. he sat in a chair looking Out at the place they had always had 'the best holidays', Knowing that he could not leave his girls alone Back home. They'd had a great Christmas. He!s mode it through Christmas! And now they were home again. Christmas. New Year To Health And To Happiness It was getting really, truly difficult. For the man who could Always do anything, he began to feel helpless 'I have to be here for my girls, I will be. I won't ever leave them alone: The charismatic. sparkling, Youthful man could barely keep The flesh on his bones. He needed more pain relief. Sleeping was difficult. Finally, when his blankets began to hurt him A torturous weight on his frail body, he had to leave The little house, with the veranda where they'd shared so much it was the last time A place like a hospital, but this was different - the doctors had No intention of curing him. The aim was simply to keep him As comfortable as possible. Drifting in and out of consciousness, He wrestled desperately with the thoughts and words Flooding his mind. So much to say! His mouth refused to let them out. No matter how hard he tried, They were formless, silent. trapped inside of him in an irretrievable place He managed to get some things out. He told his girls he would always be there with them. He'd beat thi it was just another thing, 19ranted one of the More difficult they'd encountered I, that he would get them out of Everything would be alright They listed for each shallow, rasping breath. The gurgling as The blood filled his lungs. They watched as each period of Consciousness shortened, as he struggled to say the Billions of things he knew they still needed to hear. They listened, and watched, and tried to talk. Maybe they prayed Then, as they listened one morning, the next breath didn't come in the end, he had to leave them. The Most Impossible Goodbye. For though he knew His girls needed him, and he them, his body could not go on His body's suffering was attacking his very spirit, the part of him Entwined with his girls No matter how desperately he tried to stay here, his spirit was too Unspeakably precious to stay trapped in that failing body Yet, when it came time for him to leave, he never actually said Goodbye Why? Maybe because, in some way, he's still here. Not like a Dad or a husband. That complete and perfect despair would not have come and envelo smothered, tried to crush his girls

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Mask Phoebe Black 9 Gibson

M ask Leah Taylor 9 Engla

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If he were still here, the way things were But he would never, ever truly leave his girls He will just find new ways to reach them Maybe we need to take more notice of All those little things It's in the details.

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It's in the moments

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Z06 Briggs, 12 Hirschfeld The Betty Woolcock Challenge Cup Winner, 2003

Mask Chelsea Salisbury 9 Lilley