Diagnosis: Cancer

Smooth, mapped roads intersected with red-eyed nights, quivering nerves, fists pounding air. A nightmare descended as a phantom snaking black shadows into ebullient corridors of light. A hulking foe crowded his way in uninvited. Sun rose with belly chuckles, banners, and presents, touched the earth dipping below the horizon like a balloon leaking helium. Chortles rang like bells. Hero’s cape waved on the back of a boy like a flag snapping in the wind. Legs pumped air, feet thumped linoleum. Birthday wishes tied up in dime-store bows. Red, yellow, and blue paper with comic book heroes piled in a corner. Balloons, streamers, confetti flew. Family, friends, and bouncing children flashed white teeth and upturned lips gushing unbridled mirth. The birthday song belted as clashing keys rippled flames on five wax-woven cords. A cake— vanilla with strawberry slathered with buttercream. Superman soared above candied skyscrapers and whipped clouds. A brackish, biting drink drenched lips and tongue, gorged up from the inner dark throb— of marrow and bone. A river of vomit like scarlet ribbons out of a swollen, six-year-old gut, He gagged— spewed. Wide-eyed gasps and screams of guests filled the room. A foamy stream christened the cake dousing burning candles. Plunged into a crepuscular abyss, a blank page filled with scans, chemo, needle pricks, caps topping a hairless head. A devouring tumor inside a child— hiding, savagely growing, slowly killing.