The Legendary Actor - Chapter 59

There were four beds in the ward, but the other three were all empty, except for the one by the window. On top of the bed lay a young girl, a long dark hair softly spread out on the pillow, just like Rapunzel in a fairy tale, wrapped around that slim and frail body. Her pearl white face shone with a pale light.

The sound of the hospital room door pushing open didn’t attract her attention, she just quietly looked out the window at the lead blue sky, rare rays of sunlight flickering on the pale mouth. You could feel the aura of death slowly creeping upon her fragile stature.

Her name was Hazel Cross, and she was only fifteen years old. She suffered from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, commonly known as “gradual freezing,” which was the cruelest disease Renly had ever seen, bar none.

The patient will gradually lose control of his muscles, and his motor nerves will eventually atrophy completely, which is no different from total paralysis, even affecting basic bodily functions such as eating, breathing, and speaking.

The whole process is slow and long, and the pain gradually builds up, making each day an ordeal. Generally speaking, patients only live two to five years after the onset of the disease. In 2014, the “Ice Bucket Challenge,” a campaign to attract more people to the ill-fated community, took the world by storm.

Hazel was the first patient Renly cared for when he arrived at Mount Sinai Hospital.

At that time, they got along very well, and Hazel, who had just learned of her illness, was always positive and upbeat; however, after Renly left for more than half a year to shoot a movie, Hazel became quiet, refusing to talk to Renly and ignoring him every time.

Renly knew that this was Hazel’s way of showing her protest.

“It’s rare that the weather in New York has been so bright and sunny lately, and it’s been sunny for a week straight, I almost wonder if this is New York anymore.” Renly didn’t get a response, but didn’t mind, and said to himself, “Did you listen to the last record I brought? I told you that the British rock of the 1960’s was classic, pick any band and you’ll remember them all. If you like, I’ll bring you the first album by Joy Division next week, only four songs, very experimental but really interesting, they represent the inception of punk in the seventies.”

It was as if Renly was talking to himself, amusing himself, chatting endlessly, and occasionally glancing at Hazel. One could see that she was still not reacting, looking out the window as if Renly was not even in the room.

He sat down on the bed next to her and took the kite making materials out of his backpack. The wind was strong on Manhattan Island, and it was the right season to fly kites. Renly had already processed the materials at home last week, and today he only needed to do the final touches.

“Renly! Renly!” The shouts from outside the ward came from far and near, and stopped when they reached the door, and a small head peeked cautiously through the crack in the door, and who else could it be other than Alex who gave a big smile as he whispered, “I’ve finished my medicine!” He puffed out his chest and looked proud, waiting for Renly’s praise.

Renly gave him a thumbs up, which made Alex shake his head proudly, but then his eyes fell on Hazel, and Alex became hesitant, worried that he might have alerted Hazel with his actions.

Renly rubbed the little one’s head with his big hand, “Do you want to join in?” Alex’s attention was immediately drawn to kite making, and he nodded vigorously. Renly took out a stack of cut out drawing paper from his backpack, “You draw on it, draw whatever comes to mind, and then we’ll make a kite tail, long, long …”

Alex didn’t take the brush right away, but thought about it and asked seriously, “So it would be like the Chinese dragon?”

Renly raised his eyebrows and smiled, “Sure, why not.”

After receiving an affirmative answer, Alex took the brush with a big smile, then supported his chin with utmost seriousness and began to meditate, a look that made Renly amused, “What are you doing?”

“I’m thinking about what to draw, and I can’t just waste money on it.” Renly was dumbfounded by that look of course, then nodded hesitantly, saying solemnly, “Yes, of course.” Then Renly shook his fist and cheered Alex on.

He looked at Alex’s serious face, as if he was painting a picture for an international competition. Maybe their behavior seemed a little childish, always wasting time on “unnecessary” things, but it was precisely this kind of childishness that adults lose and with it, their source of happiness.

Renly took out the camera from his backpack, pointed it at Alex, and pressed the shutter. From his last life experience, Renly learned to cherish every moment of life.

There was a sight behind him, and Renly looked up to see the shadow of Hazel turning her head hurriedly, her soft hair sliding like a waterfall, reflecting the flow of light and shadow, revealing her small movements. The corners of Renly’s mouth lifted up, as he picked up his camera and pointed it at Hazel, recording the moment again.

Hearing a click, Hazel turned her head, glared at him, and snapped, “What are you doing?

Renly, however, didn’t panic at all, checked the effect of what he had just shot, and nonchalantly replied, “I’m taking pictures.”

Hazel choked on the reply, “Delete it! Don’t you know that it’s rude to take pictures of people without their consent? I could even take you to court if I wanted to!”

Renly lifted his head and gave a shallow smile to Hazel, “I know.” This made the flames of anger in Hazel’s pupils burn hotter and hotter. Renly shook the camera in his hand, “If you don’t like it, you can come over and delete it yourself, or even smash the camera.” Then, he placed the camera on top of the white sheet with a look of deference.

Hazel clenched her teeth, wishing she could bite into Renly’s neck, but the rest of her sentence, “You know …,” came to a halt. As time passed, Hazel’s illness became more and more apparent, and it became difficult for her to walk. This is why she remained in her hospital bed and was reluctant to get down and move around.

Renly could not understand what Hazel was feeling now, but he knew that in the future Hazel would regret it. Because at least she can walk now, it’s just inconvenient, and by the time she can’t walk, time will be irreversible.

“Each of us is making choices and paying for them.” Renly shrugged his shoulders, . He didn’t preach directly to Hazel, because they all understand these truths, but really acting things out is not so simple, and those so-called truths are just another kind of torture for the patient.

After that, Renly didn’t pay any attention to Hazel anymore, but kept his head down and continued to work on his kite.

Hazel stared at Renly angrily, her chest stirring with conflicting emotions that she could not swallow and could not vent, so she could only breathe heavily, her chest rising and falling. She clenched her fists and tried to sit up and give Renly a good punch, but … eventually she turned her head and looked out the window again, letting the silence in the room begin to spread once more.

After a short while, Hazel even forgot about the passage of time, but the silence began to calm her agitated mind, as if time was no longer so boring or unbearable. Even the unchanging scenery outside the window had new colors.

Suddenly, Alex’s uncontrollably cheerful voice came over, “It’s done! It’s done!” It took all of Hazel’s strength not to turn her head as she heard Renly’s steady response, “A kite can’t be called a kite until it’s up in the sky. Would you like to be the one to bring it to life?”

“I want to, I want to!” Alex shouted out eagerly, followed by a series of running noises, pattering away and finally disappearing.

Hazel was stunned. That was it? Wouldn’t Renly invite her either? Without even saying hello? No, Renly must still be in the room, waiting for her to turn back in the admission of her defeat, she’s not that stupid! In the contest of patience, she never fears that she will fail, so let’s see who will bow first!

Before he knew it, Hazel clenched her fists, forcing herself to keep going and not to looking back.

The passage of time began to become clearer, as if there was a sound of sand slowly falling in the hourglass, but the silence in the room made Hazel feel a little uneasy.

“Hazel!” A voice came from behind her that fiercely startled Hazel, but before her inner joy could rise, she realized that the calling voice was not Renly, for within her sight fell the figures of Renly and Alex arriving downstairs, with a group of little ones following them, like a hen with her chicks.

“Hazel?” The voice behind him called out again, and Hazel let out a long breath, disappointment creeping up inside along with an indescribable desire, “The nurse just told me that you did very well today.”

Hazel dropped her eyes to hide her emotions as she turned her head to give the visitor a weak smile, “Good afternoon, Jennifer.”

Jennifer Lawrence also smiled in reply, “Good afternoon.”