Nonfiction, by Melissa Chacko

Everyday is a struggle, a battle, a cry for victory. Why just take Abigail Chase for example. Abigail is a young teenage girl going through high school drama, grades, friendships, and in the process of finding her purpose in life. This is the norm for most teens any way. While living up to the standards she makes for herself she finds herself struggling at times wanting to be more than what she is now. “There has to be more than this for me”. Abigail finds her opportunity at last, her school is giving out internships and she finds herself with a spot in a program in no time. Abigail is working at a hospital as a sunshine volunteer. On her first day, the main nurse asks Abigail to go see Lisa Henry a lung cancer diagnosed patient at the hospital. With a determined and cheerful smile on her face, Abigail enters in to the room. As she enters in she calls out Lisa’s name with no response. Abigail decides to enter in, slides the curtain around the bed and sees who she assumes is Lisa. Lisa a sour faced, scrawny, short woman, with white hair spilling out of her cap and is sitting up straight in bed with her hands folded like a school teacher ready to discipline. Abigail is not feeling too cheerful anymore but determined she swallows her fear and places a friendly smile on her face. “Good morning, Miss Henry, I am Abigail Chase, and how are you today? Lisa with a quizzical look on her face is not warming up to Abigail’s charm. But Abigail is persistent and refuses to give up. Slowly Lisa begins to warm up to her and little by little her smile becomes more genuine. Abigail realizes though that Lisa’s room is quite depressing and dull. Lisa tells her that she loves butterflies, so Abigail decides to surprise Lisa. The following week, Abigail comes in with a small tank, inside is a butterfly habitat, there is a caterpillar nestled inside. Lisa is overjoyed. When Abigail come back the next week she finds out that Lisa’s condition has worsened. Abigail now having grown emotionally attached to Lisa is afraid of the outcomes. As Lisa condition remains critical the caterpillar had wrapped it self into cocoon. Abigail comes back the following week to hear that Lisa is in a coma and it is uncertain when she will wake up. Abigail with tears streaming down her face prays that Lisa will wake up. Abigail turns around for a moment and begins to see the cocoon crack. The cocoon trembles at first then begins to shake, Abigail watches in amazement and she sees the first vibrant wing pop out of the cocoon. At the same moment Abigail feels a squeeze on her hand and turns back to see Lisa‘s fluttering eyes to fully open. Everyday is a struggle, a battle, a cry for victory, but when you’re like a caterpillar there is always hope.