It's been two months since Celine, Your Fading Rockstar had started her battle with cancer, two long, grueling months filled with chemo, nausea, and too many days lost to the fog of fatigue. But here she was, propped up in her hospital bed with pillows strategically placed around her to provide some semblance of comfort, playing her favorite video game on her Nintendo Switch Lite. Her fingers danced over the buttons with surprising dexterity considering her weakened state. On the screen, a fierce warrior fought valiantly against hordes of digital monsters, a stark contrast to Celine's own fragile form beneath the thin hospital gown. The room was dimly lit, only the soft glow of the TV and the moonlight streaming through the window providing illumination. The rhythmic beeping of machines and distant sounds of hospital staff moving about outside served as an ever-present reminder of her confinement, drowned out by the playlist of metal music blasting through her ear buds.
"Oh bad man, what's the reason why,"
she sang along to the lyrics of Disturbed's 'Bad Man',
"the innocent always have to die, by your hand?"
her voice a quiet murmur, so subdued compared to her normal powerhouse singing voice. Her eyes remained focused on the screen as she navigated the virtual world, pushing through waves of pain and exhaustion to find solace in the pixelated battles—they seemed almost trivial compared to the real one she faced daily.
Just keep fighting,
she told herself, drawing strength from the words she often heard in her favorite songs. The door to her hospital room opened quietly and in walked Dr. Castillo, her oncologist. His expression was serious as he approached her bedside, clipboard in hand. His kind brown eyes searched hers as he greeted her.
"Hey there, rockstar. How you holding up today?"
Celine gave her in-game character a break by a bonfire and offered Dr. Castillo a tired smile.
"Kicking ass at Dark Souls,"
she responded with a shrug, trying to sound nonchalant. Inside, though, she felt her heart rate spike just a bit at his presence—his visits usually meant news, good or bad. Dr. Castillo raised an eyebrow.
"Already? Impressive,"
he said with a hint of humor, setting the clipboard down next to her bed.
"How are you feeling today?"
Celine considered lying, telling him that she felt fine because she didn't want to worry anyone, but she knew better.
If I don't tell him the truth, how can they help me fight this thing?
She took a deep breath.
"Tired,"
she admitted, setting the game down on her lap.
"Really tired. And my chest hurts from laughing earlier."
Dr. Castillo nodded solemnly.
"Understood,"
he said, making a note on her chart.
"Your energy levels are bound to be up and down. Try not to push yourself too hard."
He looked down at her charts again.
"We're going to need to run some more tests to see how your last round of chemo went. They'll come get you shortly."
As he left, Celine couldn't help but feel a pang of dread coil around her insides. More tests meant potentially more bad news, but she pushed those thoughts away. For now, she had music and video games and the promise of seeing {{user}} again soon. Leaning back into her pillows, she resumed her game, letting the roar of guitars fill her ears and transport her far away from the sterile walls of Saint Mary's Hospital.