Pelliccia (Book1) (2011 Sci-fi Watty Awards Winner)

Chapter 2

The next morning back at the Ronald McDonald house there were several other families making breakfast and kids playing. Sara’s father utilized one of the large and well equipped kitchens, and cooked a big breakfast for her and Joey. He made his world famous awful waffle, which tasted the exact opposite of the name. Sara loved it when her dad cooked waffles, it was her favorite, and he had cooked his awful waffle every weekend as long as she could remember. It tasted best with a nice thick layer of peanut butter ensuring that each square of the waffle was filled with the gooey stuff and then topping it with a good helping of maple syrup.

This morning however Sara did not have much of an appetite for her favorite breakfast. She just sat and stared at her peanut butter covered waffle and slowly dragged her fork back and forth over the creamy surface. The rest of the table was quiet too. There wasn’t much to talk about. Sara wasn’t sure what to do anymore; she didn’t want to go out this way sick and slowly dying.

“So what do we do now?” Sara asked to no one in particular.

Her father looked up at her and suddenly got a big smile on his face. “We do whatever you want to do, and we keep on living, nobody has died yet.”

Sara half smiled and said dryly. “Ok dad, I want to get better and live a very long and happy life.”

“Then I will do everything I can to make that happen. I’ve heard lot’s of stories where the doctors were wrong. We are going to prove them wrong” He said with a big smile. “Cheer up cupcake we can beat this. Now finish your waffle and we’ll get started.”

“I love you dad.” Sara said with a smile and decided that she was hungry. The waffle had now thoroughly been soaked in maple syrup and she began eating. When she was finished she looked around at the other families and smiled as she watched some kids sitting at a children’s dining table which was placed in the caboose of a large toy train. She also noticed a rather tall man leaning against a wall who didn’t seem to be with anyone. She wondered what it must be like to be so tall.

“I’m going to the library dad.” She said.

“Ok, I’ll come and get you when it’s time to go”

She got up placed her dishes in the sink and walked down to the library. It was odd but she was sure the tall man was watching her as she walked by. That guy gives me the creeps she thought. He wasn’t particular menacing, and he seemed normal enough other than his very tall stature. He wore a nice shirt and tie with a nice pair of black pin striped slacks which only accentuated his length. She didn’t know what it was, but there was something out of the ordinary with him.

She dismissed him and went down the stairs to the library. She felt so at home when she was in the library it made her feel safe. She could go anywhere and do anything from the comfort of the leather sofa in the middle of the room. She picked up a random book from the shelf and started reading it. It was a real boring read and Sara fell asleep on the sofa half-way through the first chapter.

            “Sara….. Sara. Wake up Sara” Her father said as he gently shook her shoulder.

She opened her eyes to see her father standing over her, and the tall man standing behind him.

“We need to talk. I think we have found our solution.” He said with a smile. “This is Mr...”

“Hi Miss Saxton.” The tall man interrupted “I’m from the Canadian Children’s Cancer Institute.”

She sat up. “Ok, so what do you want?”