STAY AWAKE AGATHA

BY: BAMBI EMANUEL

Prologue

“So, you’re like the modern-day sleeping beauty?” he asks.

“I guess?” she muses.

“You’ll gonna need a prince. Lucky for you, I’m here,” his lips curve into a mischievous
grin.

“Oh, really?” she chuckles.

“Yup!” he says with a nod. “Just do me a favor,” he adds, leaning close to her.

“What favor?” she asks.

“Stay awake,” he kisses her forehead and stares at her lovingly. ”Stay awake,
Agatha.”

Cooper is a mischievous child who likes to run away whenever it is time for an injection.

He would run in the hospital hallway until he met Agatha, lying in her bed, sleeping like

a doll, she has a rare disorder called "Narcolepsy" that causes to sleep for long periods

of time. That day, Agatha awoke for the first time, and Cooper saw her for the last

time. Cooper is still at the hospital after 7 years, doing his routine of running away from

nurse Leo, the nurse can't do anything. Going back to his room, he noticed that the

vacant room is now being occupied so he got curious and opened the door, then he

saw a girl sleeping like before, a Deja Vu, not knowing it was Agatha, after a while it

was dinner time so cooper called Agatha to eat because they eat together on the floor,

Agatha saw two other patients, Reema and Javi.

Cooper likes to tease Agatha, and it's become their routine; they're like frenemies. They

even visit Manong Taguro's mamihan, where Cooper promised to eat bulalo 100 times

before passing away. Agatha heard Cooper cry for help for the first time after months

of staying, not because he is in danger, but because he is receiving treatment for

myeloma. Despite being told not to; Agatha went to the room. Cooper was initially

hesitant, but he allowed Agatha to hold him. After that, Cooper asked Agatha to stay

awake for him, to which Agatha replied, "I'll try, but to be honest, I have this habit of

disappointing people Coops." And at every check-up, they are together, accompanying
each other and believing that everything will be fine. So, when things became difficult,

Agatha made the decision to take the pills with no assurance that they would be

effective. Things went smoothly at first; she no longer felt sleepy, but things took a turn

when she slept again for 8 months as a result of the pills, and the effect cost her, her

life.

After realizing that her time is almost up, she enjoys them to the fullest rather than

complaining; even though she can feel the pain, she tries to enjoy every moment until

she can't. "I'm tired. I'm sleepy. Is it okay if I sleep?" she asked. Cooper replied, "You

can sleep now, Agatha."

A year has passed, but Agatha is still in a coma; the doctor said she was brain dead

when she was rushed to the hospital, and it is only the machine that keeps her alive;

however, Cooper remains hopeful that Agatha will awaken. Cooper's illness returned

after 2 years; he no longer wants to have treatment because he knows it will return; his

body frame changed drastically; 3years later, Agatha is still brain dead; Cooper still

believes Agatha will wake up so he can say goodbye, until he saw Agatha while lying in

bed, smiling at him and asking him to live long, but Cooper said he is ready to go.

Friends who saw him outside talking to someone said that when someone is about to

die, they see someone close to them who has already passed, and that is when they

realized Cooper is no longer moving. Doctors attempted to revive him, but "Cooper

Alvarez. Time of Death, 9:30 PM." And then, at the parents' confirmation, they turned

off the machine that interprets, "Agatha Grace Tanya, Time of Death: 9:32 PM."
MY OWN REFLECTION ABOUT THE STORY:

The story is all about a two lover that met in the hospital because of the same reason

and that is to cure their illness, and fighting for their ill-fated love. As they stayed in the

hospital they became best friend until they turned into lovers. I believe that not all love

story ends happily ever after, some of it are very tragic and this is one of the example.

The story taught us that we should cherish our time to those people who are very close

to us, spend our time together with our family because we never know when is the time

to say goodbye to them. Because we all know that we can’t live as long as we want.

And as I read the story I feel how the author dedicate her time, effort and love just to

finish this story and it paid off because he made a story that makes me realize how

time is important and how blessed I am to live a normal life.

NIKOLE KHATE BACAYO

11-HUMSS-SAPPHIRE