Kyle and Kenny were playing in the last game of the season. This was it. After this they were in the playoffs. But after Kenny made a goal he fell down and couldn't get back up. The coach called 911. Kenny was rushed to the ER, and that's where the nightmare had begun. The doctors told Kenny that he has acute myelogenous leukemia which is a type of cancer, and Kenny might live it out or he may not. But there was a good chance that he wouldn't live. He had to stay in the hospital overnight. But Kyle had stayed with him the entire time. Neither one of them could believe this. Was this it? Was their time of playing ice hockey together really over? But what about the playoffs or the Championships? This was a total nightmare that was about to come true. Kyle had left the hospital late the next afternoon, with a load on his mind. "How can this be happening?" he thought to himself. He decided to go to the cemetery and visit his cousin, David. He died in a car accident only six months earlier.


On his was home from the cemetery he thought about how he was going to tell his mother. Even though he had called her from the hospital to tell her that Kenny had fallen during the game, and that he was going to stay with him for the night. That's all he had said. But when he got home much to his relief, his mother had gotten a telephone call from Kenny's mother. The only thing that Kyle's mother had said was, "I'm so sorry about all of this." Kyle had said that it was OK, even though it really wasn't. He just didn't want to say it in front of his mother. At least not just yet. He went up to his room. He looked at the picture of him and Kenny from last year's Championships. Kyle sighed and laid on his bed. For some reason he started to cry. He and Kenny had been best friends forever. Now that cancer had struck, Kyle didn't know how much longer he was going to live. The next afternoon Kyle went back to the hospital. There he met Dr. Erickson, Kenny's oncologist. He said that Kenny wasn't going to live for that much longer. Only five months at the most. Kyle didn't know what to say. He was just in shock. He went into Kenny's room, and there he was lying in bed. He had just started chemotherapy. To Kyle Kenny looked like that he could die at any second. Kyle sat in the chair by Kenny's bed. He didn't know what to say or do. But finally he got the courage to ask Kenny how he was feeling. Kenny just said that he was feeling all right. But deep down inside it felt like that he was already dead. Then Kyle had said,"Today during practice nobody was playing well. They were all thinking about you, Kenny. I talked to Dr. Erickson, and he said that you're not going to live for that much longer. Only five months at the most. Kenny could understand that. But deep down he just wanted to die right now to get away from the pain and the suffering. Kyle hadn't stayed at the hospital for that long. He felt like that he was going to go insane. He didn't go home, he just walked around the city. He walked up to the Detroit Red Wings arena. That was their favorite team in the whole NHL. "Kenny and I will never be able to go to another game again." he said to himself, as he leaned up against the building.


Two months have already gone by and Kenny has gone from bad to worse. Kyle still visits him everyday, in and out of the hospital. When the day of the playoffs finally came Kyle didn't want to play. But Kenny wanted him to, so he did. But when he got on the ice he had a big surprise. There was Kenny sitting in the front row. Kyle couldn't believe it. He had gotten off the ice so he could talk to him, and when he sat down he asked, "What are you doing here?" Then Kenny said, "I'm here to watch you play." "I didn't think you would have enough strength to come." said Kyle. "Well I couldn't miss seeing you play." said Kenny. "Yeah." thought Kyle. But what he really wished for was Kenny playing right along with him. "I know I'll never be able to play ice hockey never again, but the least I could was come and cheer my team onto victory." Kenny said. "Who knows maybe I'll even live long enough to come and watch the Championships." he said. He shifted his weight in his wheelchair, and sighed. At this point the commentator's voice told all the players to get onto the ice. But before he let Kyle go, Kenny said something that wanted to bring tears to Kyle's eyes. What he said was this, "I love you. You're my brother." Kyle said. "You are too." Then Kenny wished Kyle good luck. Before he got onto the ice Kyle sighed. Then he started to play. His team had gotten the puck, and Kyle scored a goal. Then another player on the same team scored a goal. The team was playing great. Kenny never took his eyes off the ice until half-time So far their team was in the lead. Kyle, Kenny, and the rest of the team were hoping to stay that way. During the second half as soon as he saw Kyle skate onto the ice, Kenny thought to himself, "Even though I'm not playing it feels like I am. I can picture myself right there on the ice." After the game everyone on the team was cheering. The team had won the first game of the playoffs. Kyle and Kenny hung out together after the game. They went to the ice cream parlor to celebrate. Kyle had taken Kenny back to his house. Before he left, Kyle had asked Kenny if there was anything that he could do before he went. Kenny said, "No, I'll see you tomorrow." Kyle said, "OK." Then he shut the door behind him.


The next evening Kenny's older brother, Keith visited him in the hospital. Keith had been on a community service trip with church. He had been back in state for only a half an hour. So before he went home he went straight to the hospital to see his younger brother battling for his life. Kenny was so happy to see him again. The last time they had seen each other was before Kenny was diagnosed with cancer. To him it was a total nightmare. Kenny had asked him how the community service trip went. Keith said, "It was good." Then Kenny asked, "How did you find out that I had cancer?" Keith replied, "I got a telephone call from Uncle Nathan. At firtst I couldn't believe it. But then I finally did. So when Pastor Mark asked who that was I told him everything. Then I made him promise not to tell anyone else." Kenny just sighed and stared out the window at the great evening view of the city. When Keith saw it he said, "It really is an amazing view, isn't it?" "I hate the hospital, but I love the view." said Kenny. Keith decided to stay with him for the night. All of a sudden the telephone had rung from Kenny's bedside table. Kenny answered it. It was Kyle just checking in. Kenny said that Keith was here. Kyle had asked him about the community service trip was, and how it went. Then after they talked they hung up.


Kenny decided to leave a few nights after Keith came home from the community service trip. Everyone was in the family waiting room. Everyone was there Kenny's mom, Kenny's dad, and Keith. But Kyle was in the room with Kenny. He was just sitting there, just looking at him. Then at exactly at eight p.m. Kenny was gone. Kyle just sat there unable to move. But then suddenly he started crying. When Keith came into the room he found Kyle crying. Then when he looked at Kenny's bed and then he knew why. He got his parents and told them to come in. Right behind them was Dr. Erickson. When everyone was together, Dr. Erickson told them that it was time for Kenny to go. He had suffered long enough. Everyone in the room agreed. A few evenings after that dreadful night they were all planning Kenny's funeral. When the day of the funeral finally came Kyle and Kenny's family all rode to the cemetery in the hearse. Kyle sat by the window. Even though it wasn't noticeable he was definitely crying. When they had reached the cemetery everyone in the hearse got out. During the burial everyone was crying, especially Kyle. Keith put his arm around him. A few weeks later the Championships finally approached. Kyle didn't want to play, but Kenny's family had told him that Kenny would've wanted you to. So he decided to play, and while he was playing he thought to himself that Kenny was still with him. In his heart, mind, and soul. His spirit still lives on. The team had won the Championships. Everyone on the team was happy, including Kyle. After their victory win celebration, Kyle went to the Red Wings arena one last time. While he was there Kyle had said to himself, "His spirit lives on forever."