Waking up the following morning, I felt an unexpected surge of energy coursing through me, despite my legs not cooperating. Eager to seize the day, I yearned to get into my wheelchair and roam around the village. Perhaps, I could even encounter the girl who had captivated my thoughts and engage in a meaningful conversation with her. Meanwhile, Jonah was his usual active self, bustling around his bed. He settled into a seated position, stretching his arms wide, clearly primed for whatever the day might bring.

I glanced around the room, surprised by the Halloween decorations, taking over our room.

"Jonah!"

He turned around quickly, "What's up?"

"Our room is decorated!"

He stepped out of bed and looked around, appreciating the various decorations scattered throughout the room.

"You know what that means right?" I asked him.

"It's Halloween?"

"No silly... it means candy!"

He came over to grab the wheelchair beside my bed, aiding me as I settled into it. It seemed he grasped the plan immediately: we were set to roam around, scooping up as much candy as possible before the six o'clock curfew was enforced.

"We're going to make rounds through the hospital and hit the nurses' station too, right?"

"I am not familiar with the village or the hospital surroundings. I'll need you to lead the way."

"Well, that will not be a problem at all, I know my way around. But we don't have anything to gather candy with, maybe a box or a bag tucked away?"

Just then, the door to our room swung open, and my parents entered, their hands filled with multiple bags. They stopped in their tracks upon seeing me already seated in my wheelchair, with Jonah by my side.

"Good morning, Sammy. Are you going anywhere in particular?" My mother asked.

"We were going to collect candy from the nurses' stations."

"Don't you think is a little bit early for that?" My father said, glancing at his wristwatch.

"I know, but if we don't start now, all the good candy might be gone."

My father's face broke into a smile. "Looks like we had the same idea."

He began sifting through the bags they carried, drawing out various masks and hats designed for Halloween celebrations. "This one seems just right for you, son."

He handed me the mask of a skeleton face, a black hoodie, and a toy scythe. "We thought this would be of your liking." I accepted the items he brought me, lacking visible excitement.

"You don't like them, son?"

Examining the mask, I found its choice slightly ironic, yet I didn't want to diminish their effort. "No, I do like them, thanks, Dad."

My mother pulled out a tiara, a wand, and a dress from one of the bags, evidently a costume intended for a girl. "And we've got this one for your friend, too. Is she going to be around gathering candy with you?"

"I am not sure."

With the assortment of costumes now spread out on the sofa, Jonah began to rummage through them, intrigued. "Is there something cool I could borrow?"

My father reached into the last bag, pulling out a toy sword and a helmet. "How about being a paladin? Does that sound good to you?"

"Perfect," Jonah said.

As Jonah started to try on his new costume, Ashley emerged from her cubie. "You guys are making quite the racket." She said, her eyes widening as she took in the festive decorations scattered around the room. "Wow. This is the first time I've seen a room like this. Who did all the decorating?"

Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

"I think the nurses did it," I said.

Just then, Nurse Angela entered the room. "Do you like the decorations we set up for you? There's plenty of candy at the nurses' stations; make sure to grab some."

At that moment, Jonah's parents appeared at the door, looks of concern etched on their faces. Jonah stepped forward to meet his mother, taking her hand in his. "I'll be going trick-or-treating with my friends. I hope that's okay with you." Jonah said.

"It's okay, sweetie. We just came to say goodbye. I'll see you next time if I can." Jonah's mother said, her face shadowed by a touch of sadness as she turned to leave.

"I wonder what's wrong with her."

Jonah rejoined us, positioning himself at the handles of my wheelchair as we prepared to venture through the hospital. "Do you know where Amanda's room is now?"

"It's likely back in the hospital wing, but I can't say for sure. Sorry, buddy. They keep that information confidential."

Without further delay, we exited our room. Ashley wore the princess costume my mother had given her, embodying the role with grace, while Jonah embraced his role as a paladin, ready to safeguard all of us in our village. Upon reaching the hospital, we approached the first nurse's station, eagerly opening our bags in anticipation of the candy that awaited us.

"Trick or treat!"

While Ashley and Jonah busily collected as much candy as their bags could hold, I took a moment to approach the nurse stationed at the desk. "Could I ask you a question?"

"Sure." The nurse said with a smile.

"I'm looking for a girl who's staying here. Her name is Amanda. Would it be possible for you to tell me her room number?"

The nurse gave me a curious glance before turning her attention to the computer. "She's in room 344, on the third floor."

"Thank you." As I turned back to Jonah, I caught him in the act of trying to coax more candy from the nurse. "I found out where she is now. Can we head over there?"

"Sure."

"I'll hang back for a bit. There's something I need to talk to Angela about." Ashley said.

Jonah took his place behind my wheelchair, beginning to push. "What's the hurry? I thought the plan was to collect as much candy as we could get."

"That's part of it. But I also want to visit Amanda."

"Are you planning to ask her about the wish you have in mind for her?"

"Yes, that's exactly what I'm going to do. Let's head to the elevator and go up to the third floor."

Upon the elevator doors slid open, we were greeted by an attendant. "Hello there, boys! Oh, that's a cool mask!"

I took off my mask and noticed the woman had a pendant on her hat depicting an angel playing a trumpet. Recognizing her instantly, I offered a knowing smile. She leaned in, whispering, "I know which floor you boys are headed to. Just keep it between us that I'm here, okay?"

Suddenly, the elevator closed its door, and the button with the number three illuminated.

"I didn't touch anything," Jonah said. "I bet she's around us. It's the only explanation I can think of for why everything just started working on its own."

The Godmother giggled.

I readjusted my mask over my face, choosing not to dwell on his speculation. As the elevator doors opened once more, we found ourselves on the third floor. "We're looking for room 344."

"The room is down this hallway, near the nurse's station, which is convenient for me."

Jonah paused briefly to snag some candy from a jar at the nurse's station. Taking advantage of the moment, I removed my mask. Just then, I caught sight of Amanda stepping out of a room. Her eyes widened in surprise, and a smile started to spread across her face upon seeing me.

"Samuel!"

Amanda quickly closed the distance between us, wrapping her arms around me in a tight embrace. "I'm so happy to see you again."

"I find it hard to stay away, which is why I'm here."

Amanda confidently guided my wheelchair, moving us away from the bustling nurse station. "I bet your friend is still at the station. We don't have much time, so we'll need to keep our conversation brief."

We entered a room distinctly lacking in Halloween festivity. "No Halloween decorations?"

"This is a hospital room; they tend to decorate only the rooms back in the village area. You're quite a distance from your room in the village. What are you guys up to today?"

"We've been going around trick-or-treating, and... I also wanted to see if I could find you."

She blushed at my words. "Well, I'm glad you made the effort to come. Unfortunately, I'm due for another treatment in five minutes. My condition hasn't been getting any better."

Feeling this might be the moment to broach the subject of the wish, I hesitated before asking, "Would you like to have more time?"

She became curious about my question. "More time?"

"Amanda, I am in possession of an artifact that could grant you more time."

"Are you talking about more time as in... living longer?"

I nodded with excitement.

"I prefer not to. I'm sorry if that's not the answer you were hoping for. I've heard about that artifact, The Godmother's Pen, it was offered to me once, and I've chosen not to use it. I have my reasons."

Her response struck me as unusual. Typically, one might assume that someone facing a terminal illness would desire more time to live.

"But I want to spend more time with you. Don't you feel the same way?"

"I do, but..."

Suddenly, our conversation was cut short by a nurse who knocked on the door, holding a folder. "We're ready for you, Amanda."

Amanda leaned in close and placed a gentle kiss on my cheek. "It was amazing seeing you again, Sammy."

Holding her teddy bear, Amanda walked out of the room, casting a look back over her shoulder that was tinged with sadness.