Roslyn Saplicki -2
She was gone, gone forever. But her soul lingered above us like a star we always seem to find. A good star, the kind that seems to sparkle and glow a little stronger above all others. It was in sixth grade, and It never dawned on me that I would be doing something much bigger than myself. My best friend, Adel was my height , that’s probably the main reason we ever met, we saw things eye to eye. Adel was the only girl who really seemed to understand our role in life. I was only 12 and I seemed to struggle with the issue of life. I pondered a lot about who we are, where we come from, what are we, and why must we go. Maybe she didn’t know everything, no one knows, but our friendship grew either way like a rose in late bloom only beginning to merely open afraid to suffer the consequences of the real world, but after winging it and trying it seemed to enjoy the company that the world can bring to you.
It was March, slightly breezy, dewey all over, but it was March.

December had come so quickly and faded away slow enough for me to count every second that passed by. If Adels’ mom hadn’t been diagnosed that month with Melanoma. I reckon the month would have been another adventure for me. Melanoma, skin cancer. If only I had better understood the word , cancer. What an adventure cancer mustve been for Donna.
March, was still a school month, and I was a talented student. I often wondered of the many contraptions existing in the world. I could ponder for days, just lurking around wondering what’s next. I wanted to go far in life so I paid close attention to what my proffessors had to say. I fully recall the slowest class period of the day. Social studies. I squirmed in my uncomfortable seat and waited watching the cclock tick by. But this class period was one like no ther and though it haunted me, I became intrigued with the book, my professor read. At first she was inaudable, but then her voice projected as she used one word. Cancer. The book was nothing but the story of Sadako and her thousand paper cranes. I don’t recall it taking me to long to realize that this was my calling . My so called destiny. My only way to make a difference in someones life. I could only hope that each crane could lead Donna one step closer to her own Lexington Battle.
Cranes, were the so-called bird of Apollo, the god of the Sun.Cranes symbolize a thousand years of prosperity, health, love, and honor. Though a thousand years of perfection seems like a utopian society, which as we know is unexistent.

The crane was a precise art and the folding was done in an impeccable manner. Each one had to be creased along diagonals, refolded, unfolded, but it was much easier to catch on to once you understood it better. I spent hours folding cranes. One was of a different color or texture and always turned out unique. I watched as each one seemed to smile back at me sending me a message of hope. Adel seemed to be just as fond of the idea as I was. And soon we had a diverse colony of workers simply folding. Angels we could of called them. Underachievers eveyone else thought. But our want to complete this project controlled,our minds bodies, and spirits. After a few short weeks all one-thousand paper cranes were done. A lot of people had the tendency to slack off, yet I couldn’t complain.
Above all, to me to see Adel happy gave me a light of hope, and a friendship spark. It was astonishing how a crane, one crane, could change someone’s mind, make someone smile, and at least be happy while they can. Anyone, who would have been a part of this random perplexed society, would’ve felt a piece of their heart completed and a piece of their mind completely renovated. Donna had had one problem her angels that she believed in had disappeared and Donna feared there was nothing she could do about it. Those angels had sprung up from the Heavens. They were none other than the mixed-up society of crane folders.

Over the next couple of weeks, Donna healed, slowly, but con calma, as my father would say (meaning calmly.) It wasn’t miraculous but it was a phenomonon, that captured our hearts. Donna was now able to enjoy the simple pleasures of life with her caring family, and lovable friends. She could follow through with simple tasks, motor skills. She enjoyed being able to spend every second of the day to please her family, and fulfill her destiny. She spend time accomplishing the task of gluing each crane to a fishing line to later to be strung on a bare tree.

7th grade is a dreadful year. Not that I was discluded among the society thou I was but the teachers expect so much more out of you than what you’re willing to risk. I had become much more closer to Adel and my surroundings. Though the year was slow vacation was even slower and unoccupied meant a blasé bubble coveruing you without an escape. On that Friday, I knew that Winter vacation was going to be long. My feeling stayed the same, and I was straitforward about it until my mom announced our getaway. Aspen.

Aspen, I thought I could enjoy this. What’s not to like? Of course every family trip ends upi in disaster. Mine ended in misery. After arriving in Aspen, and adjusting to the frigid temperature, I felt out of reach. I had nothing electronic with me and I much rather would’ve had it that way. I prefer solitude then being “ off the hook.” I scrambled to the computer and the heat released from the fireplaced poured into my body. Facebook, was the only real source of communication I had had at the time. After scrolling through what seemed like a centillion status updates I came across the only one that caught my eye.
“I feel bad for Adel.”

What could there possibly be for her to feel bad about there was nothing wrong with her. Last time I checked her brain was still in her head, and her heart in her body. I pondered. Adel. Mom. Her mom. That’s when I could to nothing but cry and watch as tears streamed down my face. Caring bridge, was the only website donna used to keep track of her journal. And what do I find other than 73 words of misery.
Donna made it to Christmas as the girls had hoped. About 8:55 she passed away very peacefully at home in her bed with me holding her. We are in the process of calling family and friends. Please pray for us during this difficult time and I will post soon about the details of upcoming arrangements. Thank you again for all the messages and support during Donna's yearlong battle. We love all of you.

I never ever felt so down in my life. The one thing I had never felt before it hit me hard, and I wasn’t prepared who is. Sure I cried, bawled in fact, wept, and whimpered. But what could I do I could only hope that Donna was in better place where her angels could cloud her and keep her safe. I only regret one thing, its not being able to have spent more time with this angel, and not being there for Adel when she needed me. But I could only promise to Donna that I would watch over her angel. “ It just goes to show that when we have something valuable in our hands we, don’t treat as if it were to be gone the next day.”

This moment that me and Adel shared as I would say tore us apart but brought us together .