The Last Leaf by Dash Korol

Long time ago there were two girls

by the names of Sue and Johnsy who lived together in a small flat. They were incredible, 24/7 working artists.

Once, Johnsy fell very seriously ill in November. Everyone thought she had pneumonia as she would rather lie in her bed without moving, just gazing out of the window. Sue, her closest friend, became extremely worried, so sent for the doctor. Although he came every day there was no change in Johnsy’s condition.

One day the doctor took Sue aside and asked her, ”Is anything worrying Johnsy?”

“No,” replied Sue. “But why do you ask?”

Sue replied that there was nothing to worry and asked why did the doctor think so.

The doctor replied in hurry “Johnsy, it seems, has made up her mind that she is not going to get well. If she doesn’t want to live, medicines will not help her.”

Being her best friend, Sue tried her best to make Johnsy take an interest in things around her. She talked about clothes and fashions, but Johnsy did not respond. And when Johnsy continued to lie still on her bed Sue brought a drawing-board into her room and started painting. To take Johnsy’s mind off her illness, she whistled while working. At least this way Sue tried to liven up Johnsy, but as time was passing, nothing was changing.

After lots of chaotic trains of thoughts Sue, finally, found something she thought might help her friend. She suddenly realized that she needed to find someone who could become a "fresh breath of air" for Johnsy, someone who would bring something new into her life and could again interest her in the world around her. This person was to be Katie, her younger sister, whom she had not seen for several months due to her busy work schedule, but whom she loved and cherished so much.

So, after hours of searching for good writing paper and ink, she finally wrote a letter in a hurry that outlined Johnsy's fortune and an urgent invitation to Katie to visit them.

Without any delay, Katie was visiting the girls the next day. "Johnsy", screaming, her sister ran into the room. No one did understand whether it was a cry of joy, or fear from what she saw. Katie was shocked in response, light relief and at the same time joy were on her face. True, she did not want her sister to see her in a such condition: pale as snow, without the desire to live on, in constant melancholy. But overcoming some strange excitement, she suddenly shouted back with a slight grin:

"Dear Katie, how glad I am that you have finally arrived," the sisters began to happily hug each other. After a couple of minutes of "dog joy" Katie suddenly asked why she decided to come after all, after taking a break from her favorite job.

"Sis, how could I leave you knowing that you feel so bad. Now I will not leave you a step away. I will look after myself, read fairy tales, remember our childhood - we will do whatever you want. I swear," Katie looked at her sister warmly. "I know how difficult it is for you now that you don't want to wake up every next day from chest pain, coughing and constant headaches, but you and I will cope with this together. You and me and Sue. You have to live for us, but, first of all, for yourself. We love you very much, just know it, "continued Katie with tears in her eyes.

In response, her sister practically did not say anything, she just cried, and then for a couple of hours she could not move away from joy. After all, she finally saw her sister, her beloved sister. The best person in her life.

It was the first night in three months that Jonesy had not thought about death at night. She felt better than ever, because she knew that she was loved from the depths of soul.