• Annie Lark was a beautiful, five-year-old child. She had clear, round eyes the colour of blue hydrangeas. When she smiled, her face exuded a pure happiness that only a dazzling angel could display and, though she did not have any hair, you knew that if she had had any, it would be straw-coloured. Yes, Annie Lark did not have hair, and she was just as lovely in her patient gown at the hospital.

    Annie Lark was first diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia at the age of three. Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia is a cancer of the white blood cells in which the cancerous cells are immature forms called blasts that cannot properly fight infection. However, Annie Lark did not know all of this. All she knew was that she was sick and, if she was a good girl and listened to the clever doctors, she would get better soon and come home. This was told to her by her parents.

    One day, when her parents came to visit her, the doctor asked if she could speak to Annie's parents. Annie said that this was fine and carried on reading a picture-book about an elephant who liked eating strawberry ice-cream. Annie like eating strawberry ice-cream as well.

    After they had finished talking, Annie's parents came back into her room. It looked like Annie's mother had been crying, but, when asked about it, she simpled dismissed the question. It was at this moment that Annie was told that she would be going home. The joy Annie had at hearing this was so immense, that she could not help but shoot her drip-attached arms into the air.

    She also remembered a similar incidence happening to her friend, Tommy Brown. Tommy Brown's parents had also talked to the doctor and had also come in to take him home. Tommy was extremely excited. However, a few days after Tommy had gone home, Annie and a nurse had seen Tommy's parents talking in hushed tones to the doctor, while Annie was coming back from the bathroom. She stood long enough to notice that his parents were crying and that the doctor had a grave expression on her face. Annie did not get to see much more as the nurse hurried her into the children's ward.

    Annie, though, did not think much about this as her parents packed her things. She said her good-byes to the rest of the children. Annie sat in the car hugging her mother and watched the hospital, which had been her temporary home for two years, get smaller and smaller.

    Finally home, Annie was carried to her room with its light-green and -pink wallpaper. She was just about to ask where Tabitha was, when a furry, white creature with light-brown, mittened feet came in and promptly curled up in Annie lap.

    Annie was asked if she wanted anything, anything at all. After much deliberation, Annie declared that she would like to go out for ice-cream. Her father said, sadly, that this would not be possible as her body was too weak to go out in the streets, but that he could go buy the ice-cream cones and they could all enjoy it outside, in the yard. Annie decided that this would have to do.

    As they ate their ice-creams (Annie's was strawberry-flavoured),everyone talked and laughed a lot. Annie seemed to notice things more -- how the sunshine felt on her skin, how delicate a butterfly looked, how beautiful her mother's laugh was, and how very small she was compared to everything else.

    The rest of the day went just as happily and ended off wit her parents reading to her and kissing er goodnight. Tabitha was curled up on the edge of Annie's bed and her parents stayed with her until she fell asleep. What Annie did not know, was that her parents had stayed and watched her long after she had fallen asleep.

    The next day, Annie's parents went back to the hospital to talk to the doctor. The doctor assured them that nothing more could have been done and that her day at home must have been Annie's perfect day.