In the dim light, Valojia Nowicky, Wassil Nowicky's father, was sitting alone at the side of a sickbed in the hospital.

　　『Z…Z…z…』Wassil Nowicky opened the door.
　　Wassil Nowicky saw Valojia Nowicky the first sight. 『Dad! Why don't you lie in the bed and have a rest?』
　　Valojia Nowicky lifted his eyebrows slowly and cast a glance to him. His haggard and deep-set eyes seemed to be glistening.
　　『Wassil! You are coming!』
　　『Well, why is your hair all wet?』
　　As an engineer of a factory, Valojia Nowicky had always had a strong shape, but several months before, he was diagnosed definitely to have got cancer. He had just finished a course of chemotherapy last week, but his illness showed no sign of improvement and he even had difficulty in speaking after that.
　　『Dad! I ran to here. The teacher kept me at school again this afternoon, talking about the science test in Moscow that the school wanted to send me to next month. But you know, I am eager to come to the hospital and accompany you.』
　　『My son! You shall not do like that again. It's ok that you can't accompany me. Listen carefully to the teacher's instructions is what you should do.』
　　『I see!』
　　Wassil Nowicky slowly and lightly assisted his shriveled father to his feet. He didn't want his father speak too much and exhaust his strength.
　　He helped him go lying in the bed and covered him with the quilt.
　　『Z…Z…z…』the door was opened once again.
　　Before noticing who that was, they had already heard the voice behind the door.
　　『Dad! I'll sing a song for you!』
　　It was Wassil Nowicky's sister, Olga Nowicky.
　　Seeing his daughter, Valojia Nowicky's eyes glistened even greater.『Great! I'll listen.』
　　Olga Nowicky came to the bed as she dragged Wassil Nowicky with her hands to her side. 『Brother! Sing with me.』
　　Wassil Nowicky appeared to be reluctant.
　　『Eh…Eh... I don't know how to sing…』
　　『Stupid!』
　　Olga Nowicky drew a piece of paper out of the pocket in front of her chest. She unfolded it and gave it to Wassil Nowicky.
　　『I'll sing and you hum the tune. Is that ok?』
　　『…I'll try…』
　　Wassil Nowicky held the lyric with both hands. The graceful and restrained singing of his younger sister had already begun:
　　When I was young
　　Your heart told me to live healthily
　　When I was sick
　　You said I was a good boy to be obedient
　　When I grew up
　　You told me to be a strong flower
　　When you are sick
　　I will hold tight your hand
　　When you are cold
　　I will wear a scarf around your neck
　　When you have no sickness
　　I will, together with you, guard ourselves with resolution
　　A brilliant radiance shined on Valojia Nowicky's face. When his daughter put her hands into his palm together with the beautiful song, he used all his strength to hold the little hands sympathetically. All these days, he had been thinking about a problem with great fear-
　　『For how many days to come can I hold these lovely hands?』Every time he thought about this, tears would be nearly brought to his eyes.
　　『I can't cry. I can't cry in front of my son and daughter. My daughter have just told me in her singing that she would become a strong flower.』
　　『My good daughter! I'll look at you…wherever I am, I will pray for you. You will, you will become a strong flower in all weathers.』
　　When Olga Nowicky, following the song, took off her scarf and wore it on Valojia Nowicky's neck, he was trembling and his heart was splitting. He had no feeling of cold any more. Closing his eyes slowly and forcing his tears back, he moved his head, allowing the fluff of scarf rubbing against his cheeks. A ghost of warmth came deep into his heart and he enjoyed the moment waywardly. Only when Death knocked at his door did he cherished deeply the perfection of the precious moments.
He was satisfied and had nothing left to wish for.
　　『Dad was asleep!』
　　Wassil Nowicky whispered in Olga Nowicky's ear.

　　The daylight penetrated into the sickroom through the window, lightening the world with boundless affection.

　　Again, the penetrating throe, Valojia Nowicky was waked up by a fitful pain. The abhorrent cancer cell was again proliferating wildly in his body.
　　This time, he had the feeling that he couldn't stand any longer and he felt faint.
　　He tried hard to lie in the bed with one side of his body, so that his hands stretching from the quilt could stroke the faces of Wassil Nowicky and Olga Nowicky who were leaning on the bedside asleep.
　　He wanted to wake them up to say his last few words, but then he thought, 『no! Don't let them know that I am about to go. Then, they would believe for ever that I would always be at their sides taking care of them.』
　　So Valojia Nowicky, standing the great pain, looked at Wassil Nowicky and Olga Nowicky sympathetically. Tne second after another had passed and there were several times that a fit of dizziness came over him. He realized that he had gone beyond his ability.
　　『what should I do?--』
　　『--If I left, who would take care of them?』
　　He got the answer.
　　He put his arms in front of his chest and held the cross there. He touched the cross devoutly in every detail with his forefinger, removing any existing dust on the cross.
　　He bent his head praying:
　　『God! I left Wassil Nowicky and Olga Nowicky to you. God bless them that they will not worry about food and clothes, that in bad weathers they will have a shelter to keep themselves from wind and cold. Please favor them with courage and wisdom to meet the challenge of future…God bless them…』
　　He worshiped while dropping a nod every time. Gradually…his soul was sublimed and his mind was quiet and gratified. He had had all his unfulfilled wishes put to God's trust.
　　That was the last time he dropped a nod. His face turned to right and lay on the pillow, one minute… two minutes… and didn't lift up any longer.

　　Outside the window, the pattering rain was falling continuously. That was the accumulated tears of helpless human lives in thousands of years.

　　Early in the morning, there were thick mists.
　　『Brother! Brother! Wake up!』Olga Nowicky shook Wassil Nowicky violently.
　　Wassil Nowicky heard her, but he really wanted to sleep a little longer.
　　『wooo…』Seeing that Wassil Nowicky still leaned at the bedside, she cried out.
　　『My little sister! Five more seconds, then I'll get up. Please don't cry now.』
　　『woo…woo…』Olga Nowicky rather burst out into a flood of tears. He said to Wassil Nowicky sobbing:
　　『Brother! Wooo…dad…dad's dead.』
　　Wassil Nowicky jumped to his feet in a sudden.
　　『What did you say?』
　　『Wooo…Look at dad…I couldn't wake him up.』
　　『Dad! Dad!』
　　Wassil Nowicky leaned over and held his father's shoulders. His face had turned into a whiter shade of pale and his eyes were closed serenely.
　　『Dad! Wake up! I am Wassil! Dad! Please wake up…』
　　He dared not cry out louder. He feared that his father would be frightened after he woke up a moment later.
　　『Dad! The day breaks! Please wake up…』
　　He dared not shake him too violently. He feared that his father would be frightened after he woke up a moment later.
　　『Dad! You are tired, right? I'll make you lay down, all right?』
　　But-but, Valojia Nowicky didn't say a single word to him.
　　『Dad! Please--』Wassil Nowicky, with great anxiety, almost burst into tears. He held his father in his arms and his cheek touched that of his father's. For the first time, he had the feeling of horrible fears, the feeling of helplessness. His voice was trembling: 『…It's real…the day's broken…I …was lying to you…』
　　『Wooo…Brother…wooo…is he dead? 』
　　『brother! What should we do? Wooo...please save him…wooo…』
　　Wassil Nowicky was in a state of utter stupefaction. He had never thought of facing this kind of situation. In his arms, his father collapsed.
　　『Yes! I'll save dad!』he must hurry--『but what can I do!』tears filled Wassil Nowicky's eyes--『Brain! Brain! Think quick!』
　　He held his father in his arms. It was that moment that he found Father was so light. In the past, it was always his father who carried him on his back. In his memory, his father was strong and great. But now it was such an easy thing to carry his father in his arms. He recollected that these days Father always left what's delicious to them while saying--『I have no appetite』. The truth was that father hadn't eaten anything. That's why he was so light. A feeling of sadness broke his heart and tears trickled down from his cheeks.
　　『Olga! Stay here to take care of dad. I'll go find the doctor.』
　　Before he finished his words, Wassil Nowicky had already rushed out of the room.
　　There were only sparsely a few people going up and down in the corridor. Wassil Nowicky rushed to the medical station. He cried in his heart-
　　『Dad-you can't die!』
　　『Dad-you've promised me-you've promised to accompany me to Moscow watching my science test.』
　　『You must come to life…You will…I'll be obedient to you…I'll read to you…I'll become a scientist that you'll be proud of…』

　　Open the canopy of the sky, light of the early morning sun,
　　Thou hast traveled across the oceans, far from thy son.
　　Away with thee the affection and care,
　　Away with thee thy beloved child.

　　Wassil Nowicky ran to the counter of the medical station. Nobody was there.
　　He stood on tiptoe and leaned over the counter, ringing the bell at the table of the nurses…one minute, two minutes…five minutes. He became quite frantic since no nurse was coming out.
　　He couldn't wait--『Dad couldn't wait』, he remembered another medical station on the other floor.
　　He ran away…
　　The nurse station on this floor had nobody either. This time he gripped the ring bell and never let it go…
　　『Doctor! I beg you coming out soon!』
　　The door was open. Wassil Nowicky's heart nearly throbbed out. A young female doctor holding the doorframe and keeping a straight face, said:
　　『Hey! The ring bell was not rang like that…』
　　Wassil Nowicky jumped with anxiety and said pleadingly:
　　『My father was sick very badly. I beg you go and save him right now, please! All right?』
　　The doctor said immediately,『I know you. You are Valojia Nowicky's son, right?』
　　Wassil Nowicky nodded his head hastily.『Quick! Quick! Doctor! Quick!』
　　『I am going to take the medical instruments and will go right with you.』
　　『Thank you! Doctor! Thank you!』
　　Wassil Nowicky was almost burning, but his heart was much relieved then.
　　He ran while turning back constantly, urging the doctor to hurry.
　　He believed that doctor was almighty and was also the greatest people. Father wouldn't die as long as the doctor gave an injection to him.
　　He just prayed--『Dad! You must wait until I came back.』
　　The doctor hurried behind the scurrying Wassil Nowicky and entered the room.
　　The doctor opened Valojia Nowicky's eyes, felt his pulse and then auscultated his heart…Wassil Nowicky and Olga Nowicky bated their breath and dared not to make any sound. There was also a nurse assisting the doctor.
　　With a blank, expressionless face, the doctor took off the stethoscope, pulled the white sheet and covered it onto the face of Valojia Nowicky.
　　She was intended to get out of the sickroom silently.
　　Wassil Nowicky's mind went round and round. Suddenly, like a collapsed bank, he shouted:
　　『No! You can't leave! Come back! What about my father?』
　　The doctor, almost approaching the door, stopped and turned back slowly. She looked at Wassil Nowicky. With her tightly closed mouth and dignified face, she seemed exactly like a judge of life and death. She looked at Wassil for just a few seconds, saying nothing, then, she turned back again coolly, opened the door and came out still.
　　Wassil Nowicky went crazy. 『Don't go!...You must tell me why?...』He bit the wall with his fists sometimes, or straightened the hairs of his father gently the other times. 『why! …why it is like this…』. He was plunged into a hysterical condition, sometimes wailing, sometimes shouting...
　　『Wooo…Brother!...wooo-why did the doctor put the white sheet on Father's face…wooo…』Olga Nowicky cried while she pulled and twisted the back of Wassil Nowicky's clothes.

　　『Z…Z…z…』the door of the sick room was opened.
　　The doctor entered, with the same indifferent expression. She walked towards the back of Wassil Nowicky, lift up 　　Wassil Nowicky's fists that were beating the wall and led him to sit down in the wooden chair. She herself also put a wooden chair opposite him and sat down.
　　Wassil Nowicky was sobbing whiled she looked and waited with a set expression. She knew that after a while, 　　Wassil Nowicky would calm down. She had had a lot of experiences dealing with such sad scenes. During her first year in hospital as a resident doctor, she was not so hard-hearted. Rather, she was very disappointed watching her patients fading away. At that time, she also forced herself not to appear to be sad when comforting the families of her patients. She expected every time that she could help the patients getting rid of cancer cells and saving their lives. 　　However, there were more times of disappointment than those of pride. Seven years before, when she was still a student in a medical school, she chose oncology that were supposed to be the most difficult subject as her major with great pride. She even shouted out loud like a boy student: 『I can conquer cancer cell』. Seven years later, that is, today, she -Cofija Kalelina bore a grudge about cancer cells.
　　Wassil Nowicky was still sobbing:
　　『why?』
　　Cofija Kalelina pondered and was going to say:
　　『Sorry! I've done all I could.』
　　However, she hated herself for saying that. Every time when she faced her patients' families and said this, her heart would be hurt. It was like surrender to cancer cells.
　　But, other than this, what should she say?
　　『Your name's Wassil?』, asked Cofija Kalelina.
　　Wassil Nowicky nodded.
　　『Wassil! What you asked was a big question. The cancer your father suffered from was one of the toughest diseases that the medical circle faces. If I am supposed to answer your question, it would take a long time.』
　　『Doctor! You gave my father pills when he's sick, then he would be cured, right?』
　　The question Wassil Nowicky raised was just the matter that Cofija Kalelina was disappointed with.
　　She answered, 『we did give him pills.』
　　Wassil Nowicky questioned closely, 『then why did Father die?』
　　Cofija Kalelina heaved a profound sigh, and a spout a word from her lips:
　　『Abhorrent cancer cell!...it's too horrible.』
　　『Wassil，I'll tell you in the simplest way.』 the question of Wassil Nowicky stirred up Cofija Kalelina's hatred towards cancer cells in seven years' clinical experience. The one she used to be always wished to save the lives of patients from the border of death, but the tricky cancer cells beat her one time after another. Her élan was exhausted, except that the simple belief supported and encouraged her to fight against cancer cell. She almost forgot that Wassil Nowicky might not understand what she said:
　　『Wassil！At first, we identified a tumor in your father's body. We adopted the most common therapy, that is, cutting off the tumor through surgical treatment. What we didn't expect, but what often happens was that the cancer cells had invaded into other parts of the body through the new blood vessel born by the tumor. As to where it had invaded into, we couldn't find it with our instruments.』
　　Cofija Kalelina noticed that Wassil Nowicky stopped sobbing any more. Instead, he was listening intently. So she continued:
　　『After that, therefore, we used chemicals, which were used to kill the proliferating cancer cells. But at the same time, they also killed normal cells, even faster than the speed of killing cancer cells. But what if we didn't use chemicals? There were no other ways to cut off the proliferation of cancer cells. We can compare the life of your father as a race against time. Chemotherapy is the last resort, which caused the speeding decline of your father's body. So…』
　　『Cancer cells killed my father.』
　　Wassil Nowicky interrupted. The daylight broke through the trees outside the window and shined on Wassil 　　Nowicky's fair face. The light was refracted and a stream of cold light flashed across his right face from his right pupil.
　　『Can anyone kill cancer cells？』Wassil Nowicky asked.
　　『I don't believe it！』the clangorous question of Wassil Nowicky rekindled Cofija Kalelina's faith suddenly.
　　『What should I do？』his eyes were glaring.
　　『…I don't know yet！But I have collected many materials.』Cofija Kalelina answered.
　　『Can I have a look？』his mind was pondering at a high speed.
　　『Sure！……but you are still……OK！Come to me later』said Cofija Kalelina
　　『What's cancer cell?』he couldn't be more sure.
　　Cofija Kalelina said：
　　『It's a big question! How about this? Wassil！Your father still has a lot of things to deal with. We should let him go away quietly, and then I'll tell you in detail. Ok?』
　　『Ok！』