Nurse Jennet is crying. William is dead, she says wiping her eyes. William was the boy next door. Whenever he walked by he would wave and say, Hi Hip, and I would wave back, Hi Brain. William was the boy who knew all our secret knocks to pass the time. William had a red white and blue bracelet for friendship. William was white and my best friend. William had a brain tumor and now he is dead.

Goodbye, Hip.

Goodbye, Brain.

Another weeks passes and someone takes William’s room, William’s bed, dead William who was my best friend. The new boy yells when I knock once to say hello, four knocks, how are you? Nurse Amy comes and gives me more medicine, even though the pain is gone.

No, not gone.