The Unforgettable Experience

The Surgery

Night grew within. The devil inside me awakening, or should I say the infestation of

my appendix. It was a regular night just like any other but something wasn’t in order.

I was glad to come back from school on a Friday evening. I was finally done with my

homework (I like to finish my homework as soon as I come back from school) and I

decided to hop on to my computer and play videogames. As I was playing, a strange

feeling came along and started to daunt me very badly. I thought it was nothing

serious so I decided to give it a rest and just sleep early for the night. I woke up the

next day feeling completely off my regular self, the pain being double from last night

and it left me shocked because it came from a different place but still near the

original origin of the pain. Alone but not lonely I was feeling accompanied by the pain

which didn’t seem to be relinquishing at any time soon. I did not now what to do but

luckily my parents came soon after. “Dad. I have a excruciating pain in my stomach

since last night.” My mother thought alike with my dad. It was just simple stomach

ache, but something inside of me knew it was deeper than that. Something was lying

beneath it all just waiting to be uncovered and cause chaos. In my favour, there was

something that took my mind away from the pain on TV. My family sat around me so

that they could make me some company and not leave me alone with the darkness

lurking beneath. I can’t remember what had happened after I woke up 2 hours later.

It seemed that I was being taken away by the world created by my mind (I was

sleeping.) I thought the pain had finally gone away with that pill and that good 2 hour

rest but I was proven wrong soon enough when the pain came back to wince me. At

this point it seemed to be something serious even from my parent’s point of view. It

was a Saturday night and we decided to pay the hospital a visit to check if everything

would be fine soon. The drive there appeared to be interminable and I felt the pain

worsening with every passing hour. We finally arrived at the hospital which is Hell to

everyone. From the looks of it, it appeared to be a bad hospital but it was one of the

few close and open. After a long 40 minute wait, a Doctor finally called out our family

name : “Vigan Osmani?” said the Doctor. “That would be my son,” Answered my

father. He appeared to be confused and sad about the way I felt. The first thing that

had to be done was to take a blood sample out of my veins. I know, it seems

daunting but I seriously didn’t feel the pain, probably because my stomach was

keeping my head really busy focusing on the pain. Sadly we had to wait another 30

minutes for the samples to come and show if there was any bacteria or other

suspicious things hiding in my blood which was the factor of the pain. My dad was

scared that if it were bacteria it would be something more serious than a regular

virus or a simple stomach ache. Time was passing by so slowly, and the pain didn’t

seem to give me a break at any point. Finally, the doctor came back with a assuring

face, which gave me a grin as well. The blood was clear and most happily: No

bacteria. “So what is it doctor, what’s causing me so much pain?” I asked in a

confused manner. “You just ate something bad. I’ll give you a painkiller and it should

be gone by tomorrow.” He seemed sure. Well we were back home and the painkiller

wasn’t doing anything to relieve the pain away. I couldn’t stand it. It wasn’t letting

me do anything yet hardly sleep but somehow I finally succumbed. The next morning

the pain had tripled and yet again, came from a different origin. This time I felt it

come from my lower right abdomen. My appendix was the main cause of this pain I

thought. It must’ve been. My parents were out on their morning coffee and I had to

call them and tell them it was an emergency. The pain at this point was so

unbearable I was absolutely unable to rise from my bed yet do any movement. My

parents came very quickly and I was sure they might’ve broke a few speeding tickets

but they had arrived. Once I told them where the pain came from, their faces

immediately had swollen down and they had a hopeless look. This shook fear in me

and it gave me the urge to ask: “What’s wrong, what does this mean?” I asked them.

My dad isn’t someone who hides things from me so he honestly said: “Well, it could

mean you might need a operation son.” He said devastatingly. That point had

instilled the biggest fear that I ever felt inside of me. A surgery would be life changing

and I already have something that has changed my life, my vision, which is extremely

terrible. “An operation, are you kidding me?!” I responded extremely disappointed.

My parents knew that the pain was almost definitely a crime of what had appeared

to be Appendicitis. I took hold of our iPad and did some research on this new word I

learned that could be the change of my life, while my dad was on the phone with his

co-worker trying to figure out a good hospital for me. As I was researching I stumbled

across something which completely brought upon me a new true level of fear. The

title of the article was “Death by appendicitis.” At that point I had started to shiver

while thinking I could lose my life at only the age of 14. My family assured me that it

wasn’t that big of an operation but they could not take away the inevitable pain

inside. My mom was packing some of my clothes in a bag and it left me confused.

“Mom, what are you doing?” I asked her. “Well, if in the worst case scenario you are

 to have an operation you most likely have to spend the night or more at the

hospital.” My most feared thoughts could come alive. Being trapped in hospital with

nothing to do but wait and think of how the world is shaping out without me.

Everything was packed and I was ready to go face what was about to be bestowed

upon me. What struck me the most was: What were the odds that I would be having

surgery on the day of my brother’s birthday? Yeah, they seemed to be very low but

they somehow enveloped. The bumps during the road were causing me so much

pain and at a few points I was telling myself “Bring me death please, just end it I beg

you.” After a devastating drive we had finally reached the what appeared to be the

best hospital in Panama City. I was barely capable to walk, and I finally sat down. We

waited about 20 minutes for someone to come and do a check on me. They inserted

needles inside my veins and they had to do another blood check. The symptoms

appeared to be a positive match to the ones of Appendicitis, and that didn’t look well

for me or my parents. We were waiting for a experienced doctor to arrive, and it

took a good hour for him to finally reach us. During that time my parents kept the

thought of the pain away while trying to establish a conversation. When the doctor

arrived, we all looked happy. He was very experienced with the type of surgery and

he was a good person. He knew English which was the most assuring part to me. He

asked me a few questions about the pain and did some analysis. We had to wait

approximately 2 hours for the report to come back which held the key to my future. I

was starting to shiver again, and I was extremely anxious to know what I was about

to face. The doctor said they had to do one more final analysis to be 100% sure I had

Appendicitis. They took me to a room with a weird machine. I was asked to sit down

with my stomach lying upright straight and just be calm. They put a extremely cold

liquidly substance which scattered around my stomach and put the object around it

just like in a pregnancy test. This made me feel embarrassed to be honest, but it had

to be done. The reason for this test was to check whether the origin of the pain was

indeed the appendix and to see whether it was about to burst or not. After a few

minutes the doctor came with a paper in his hands saying: “I am afraid you are

required to do the surgery.” He said sadly. We received this information in a

disappointing manner and my father had to ask about the procedure which had to be

done. He knew how it would be done but what we did not know was that, along with

technology doctors had developed a new way to do the surgery. Instead of cutting a

long line on my stomach they just had to do 3 little dots. This procedure was way

more accurate and in every possible way better from the old one. The outcome was

also better. I just realized that there would be a outcome. I would have to face 3 little

scars for the rest of my life, but once again it had to be done in order to save my life.

The doctor gave us a few minutes to make me ready for the procedure and to say

goodbye to my family. I couldn’t set myself in the place of my parents. Their own

creation was about to receive a change for life and there was absolutely nothing they

could do to fight it but let me go and have faith in the doctors who were about to

execute the procedure. We were set and the bed I was on was being taken to the

room where the operation would be held. My family came with me till the room

where we would part. I noticed my mother cry and I remember the exact same

words she said to me: “Don’t be scared son, you will be all fine.” She said trying to

assure me. What scared me was that, for once in these two most miserable days of

my life, I was not feeling pain or fear, for real the pain had vanished but this was the

cause of so much pressure. We entered the room. I parted with my parents, and now

my future was in the hands of the doctors. They slowly started to insert the

anaesthetic in my veins and this excited me. I always had been curious how it works

and I finally was about to test it on my own body and see how I would just fall asleep.

I was put on the operating table, and that point I lost control of my body and the

shivering finally came back, a shiver I could not control. I was shivering so much that I

felt my whole body move and that was the point I started to feel that old fear again.

The doctor asked me some questions like “What is your school like?” or “Where are

you from?” Questions like that so that the anaesthetic would take over me and the

surgery could start. Onwards from there on, I cannot remember falling asleep or

anything just when I was about to be reborn as the new operated me.

 

Post Surgery

I had woken up from what appeared to be the endless pulling away from the hell

within to find myself in a bed with a lot of sheets to keep me warm and a hot breeze

flowing from the machines of the bed. That was the most tired part that I had ever

felt during my short yet eventful life. I could barely speak, I did not know what to say,

couldn’t look around and I just felt like sleeping some more, going back to that

endless dream. Soon a person came to check whether I was awake so that they could

call my family and the doctors to check on me. God, I could honestly not move a limb

and only talk in a subtle manner. I felt outside of my body not being to control

anything. Shortly a few visitors had arrived to see me. I was so happy to see them.

They all followed me to my room which I was supposed to spend the night in. I

couldn’t think about anything or anyone I just wanted to rest. I needed to take a lot

of pills in order to keep the post pain away. My brother and parents stood next to me

and I felt very safe. They would remain in the room for another hour until eventually

it was 11:00 P.M. and they were arranging who would spend the night with me.

Someone had to go home, feed our cat and keep the house clean. After a long talk

between them, they decided that my father would stick with me until tomorrow. I

said goodbye to my mom and brother and I also told my brother: “Sorry for ruining

your birthday bro.” He was fine with it as long as I was going to be fine and be home

by tomorrow. I was awaken by some nurses and my dad who asked me whether I

wanted a shower or go to the bathroom. I actually did need to go but about the

shower I seriously said: “Are you kidding me?” It took 4 people to take me to the

bathroom and I couldn’t move alone because of the post external pain. I still

remember the pain as if it were yesterday. After I reached the bathroom I real

ised I couldn’t do anything and there it happened. I had passed out. That was the first

time I ever faded away. I woke up only about 20 seconds later but it seemed to be as

a whole eternity. “Why can’t these people just let me sleep?” I thought. I woke up

with a woman rubbing a paper cloth with a strong alcohol odour around my nose to

wake me up and keep me calm. They rubbed it around my face as well. It really woke

me and my senses. I had two extremely cold plastic bags filled with ice on my

stomach to take the post pain from the operation sites away. Achh, I can feel the

pain as I write this right now, and I know it will always and eternity haunt me. I finally

took a look at my stomach and I had 3 paper cloths strongly glued to my stomach on

the spots they had operated and trust me: You don’t want to feel that pain.

Whenever I wanted to move or do anything I had to call for help. And very soon the

anaesthetic and the strong medicine were taking over my body and they made me

vomit. This was another part of my experience in which I just felt like dying. I had

puked a lot and it hurt every single part of me, mentally and physically. I had puked

my guts out and at last I stopped. I could rest again and fall asleep. The last sight

before I would be taken away by the dream world was the nurse inserting the

painkiller inside the infusion. Not short after my sleep, I had woken up again which

wasn’t a surprise now, and I started to yell for my dad: “BRING ME THE BOX, I HAVE

TO VOMIT AGAIN.” I said not sure of what I was feeling. I puked hard again and my

dad was there to support me at all times. He called in the nurses and asked why I was

puking so much. They said that it was normal due to the painkillers. The internal pain

had finally gone away but the ashes it left were also very disrupting. Whenever I

would move it would hurt me a lot.

At last, it was morning again. I woke up to see my mom’s face greeting me along with

my dad and a few nurses. They had brought me some food which to be honest

wasn’t really good. The feast was good and it had given me energy again after so

long, yet that energy came to be vanished once more when I had to vomit. The pain,

it was always there, never leaving me alone. It had become my new companion, but I

certainly wanted to get rid from it. I kept being assured it would go away in a few

days but I wouldn’t know. Soon, a visit from the doctor who was in charge of the

surgery gave me hope again. He was a really fine man and doctor. He’s the kind that

you just feel safe with. I told him about the pain and he said that it was perfectly fine

and normal that I was experiencing them. One part that finally had me grin for the

first time was when he said: “If you do good, I will promise that I will release you and

by tonight, you can go home and move on with your life.” My parents had different

shifts to stay with me. My dad would only visit during his job breaks, while my mom

was always there with me. I got pulled away from real life to fall asleep for a short

while. I woke up due to the pain but I woke up to see a good sight: My mom had

brought me her extremely well cooked and loving home food. I was glad to be eating

something good so I could be able to survive the rest of the day. I couldn’t eat a lot

but I did eat enough so I can resist for about 10 hours.

The clock was ticking 5:30 P.M and by this time my dad would be released from work

and he would come to stay with me. Once he arrived he told my mom to go home

and rest:”Don’t worry. I’ll take care of him, you go rest.” I felt like puking again and I

was right when I puked 1 minute later. This would be my last time puking my dad

assured me while he asked the nurses not to give me any more painkillers and that I

would be fine without them, I was actually alright for about 2 hours until I felt a

burning pain inside of my stomach again. I was glad that it wasn’t coming from the

site of my appendix but from the centre of my stomach, yet it still hurt like hell, but

at least I had stopped puking. I had one last sleep before it became night and I saw

my mom and dad both waiting for me to wake up and waiting for the doctor to arrive

and for him to decide whether I was ready to be released or whether I was to be held

for one more night. My dad was starting to get pissed of due to the doctor being a

little late, but he finally arrived. They were discussing payment info and once they

settled that the doctor checked me and said that I was ready and could leave the

hospital. I was so happy to hear those words. I was about to leave the place which

caused me so much suffering. I was getting dressed and I tried to walk around for a

while, just to be meeting the horrific external pain again. It was really life sucking to

be honest. I walked for about 5 minutes and then I decided that I couldn’t do it

anymore so I went back to the bed until some final paper work was being done. They

were assigning a few after pills in case of major pain. The entire crew came to say

goodbye and I was really astonished by how good they took care of me, but now it

was time to move on with my life and go home. I was put on a wheelchair until I

would get in the car. The pain was really killing me, but I was only thinking about my

future after this interminable pain would somehow finally go away.

A few days had passed and the pain was still, always there with me. I had to meet the

doctor again so he could take the paper cloths off of me and tell me how I was doing.

He told me that I was the easiest patient he had operated on. He told me the pain

would go away in about 3 days and then he took the cloths away from me. It was

then when I and the freedom I was seeking for so long finally crossed paths and came

together. The doctor was right, the pain and I shared our final goodbyes and it

decided to go hunt for another host which it could infest and be locked in so it can

cause chaos once more. I experienced what evil really means and It is not something

that is pleasant. I had experienced rebirth as a new human being. I had experienced

whole new feelings I thought I would never feel that past week. I had experienced

how much I really mean to my family. I was taught some valuable life lessons but

let’s be honest everyone. Let’s start again. Hello it’s me. Its so nice to meet you, feels

like the 1^st time.

Jem's Journal

Maycob was an old town. Everyone knew each other around. People were friendly but there were two things that bothered me. The Radley's and Atticus' Tom Robinson case. Boo Radley never came out of his house and it bothered me and I had no clue why he never came out. It was all after the Tom Robinson case that I realized nobody seemed to care. He was charged guilty even though he wasn't.

Everyone seemed to continue their life like nothing happened. Atticus made it clear that even Scout would understand that Bob Ewell did it and not Tom. Reverend Sykes said that I shouldn't get comfortable since it was not yet over. Women and children from all over Maycomb came to the trial, even though they knew that it might get naughty. As for Scout, I knew she could handle it.

That made me think if the people of Maycomb even cared about what they were looking and listening to. They didn't seem to.

When we followed Atticus to the jail we found out that people were trying to hurt him. One of them was Mr. Cunningham. Atticus told me they were our friends. It didn't seem to.

I felt different about them now. Was there any way to make them realize Tom was innocent? As Atticus said the white people who treated everyone lower class are trash. That's what I think of Maycomb people. Trash.

To Kill A Mockingbird Cover

This is my cover for the novel. I drew it as it was the part where Atticus shoots the dog.

We can also see the three figures are portrayed all in dark black. We obviously know it is supposed to be Jem, Scout, and Atticus. I choose to portray them all in black because that would hide Atticus' identity, and it would show that he isn't really like that and doesn't like to shoot, and the children would know that that isn't their father. The children are looking at their father in total awe and shock that he has another history attached to his life other than being a lawyer. They now know that he is also known as "One Shot Finch." The birds in the background show some of the significance in the book. They are flying away in the same direction Atticus is shooting, and that represents how the children's innocence is starting to fly away as well with age. I choose to make this as a cover because I thought that the original cover lacks the action that the actual book shows, and that this cover shows more action.

Maycomb Daily - Newspaper

Published: July 21, 1933

Maycomb Daily

"One Shot Finch" strikes again!

By: William Grant
 



Mr. Atticus Finch was known to be very accurate at shooting. He was also known as "Dead Shot Finch".
Since those old times Mr. Finch never shot a weapon, and never even wanted to see one again. But that all changed when it was reported that Mr. Finch shot a wander-less dog somewhere around the neighborhood where he lives in. Information tells us that he and Mr. Heck Tate immediately came to the scene after Mr. Finches' housekeeper called them. She also alarmed everyone in the neighborhood to stay inside and to not come outside. 

When they arrived Mr. Finch wanted Heck to shoot the dog but Mr. Tate kept refusing him and ordered Mr. Finch to shoot. Mr. Finch's glasses fell of and it took him quite some time to aim for a good spot to shoot the animal. When he pulled the trigger they say that "He doesn't know what hit him,".  The dog was killed and we knew that he still got it in him. Mr. Finch wanted it to keep a secret and he didn't even tell his own children about his past when he was an incredible shooter. Our sources tell us that Mr. Finch reckoned like it never happened.
We managed to get a little interview with Mr. Finch's housekeeper
Maycomb Daily asked her what she thought about Mr. Finch's action
"I was quite shocked with Mr. Finch's behavior. It ain't surprising that he still didn't lose his efficiency."
We asked her what she thought about it

"Ahh, I personally think that Mr. Finch did the right choice, to kill that darn dog an' put him in his misery."

________________________________________________________

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___________________________________________________________________________________
                                                       Colored Section
 By: George Derrington

Everyone must’ve already heard about this fella Tom Robinson. He was put in trial for raping a white woman. Clearly that is one of the most dangerous things a black man can do in Maycomb County these days. Even though Atticus Finch made it seem extremely clear that Mr. Robinson was not guilty, and that Mr. Bob Ewell had beaten her daughter up an'  then later raped her, it was most obvious that no Black man could ever win a case against white people. This came to show when Mr. Robinson was charged guilty, and then sent to prison, even though for something he ain't  done.

Well, a couple of days later it was reported to us that Mr. Robinson was killed by the guards in Justice Prison just two miles away from Maycomb County. Apparently, Mr. Robinson was allegedly trying to escape from prison by climbing over the fence to the other side, but he never made it because he was shot. According to the guards, they shot in the air a couple of times to warn him that he should not try escaping but that didn’t change Tom’s mind. Our sources tell us that he was shot seventeen times while he was trying to jump over the fence, and to escape prison. 

We ought'a get interview from some of the guards, and we got it
"Do you think that old Tom got what he deserved?"
"Well, I certainly believe that that negro ain't no better alive,"

This of course was a tremendous shock to some especially to his wife and his kids. To some other people they thought that he was no better good then dead.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Editorial:

Court Fairness

By: Nolan Stross

I was there and witnessed with my own eyes the trial of Tom Robinson. Mr. Atticus Finch clearly set the cards on the table and made the truth come out. This man was innocent and Bob Ewell beat up, and raped his own daughter. I think he knew that he would win the case against a black man. Everything made sense and it was clear that Tom had not lay a finger on Mayella Ewell.

Nevertheless the jury didn’t seem to care and the outcome was a victory for the Ewells and the black’s had lost again. I think that we aint' no better to continue to treat colored people otherwise. They are people like us but with different color. Cause of one’s color I think it’s not reasonable to mistreat them and let alone sent them in jail for something they never did. I think we should all treat each other equally with equal rights even though there are differences between our skin color. That there are color differences that doesn’t make them animals, or monsters. They are still human.

 I think that they should definitely change the court system because winning a case for something you did and make someone else go to jail for what you have done is just outrageous. 

We gotta some words from a citizen around the jury and got some of his thoughts on it
"Do you think the jury was fair to this fella?"
"Course not. This man had no bad things goin on round himself,"
"What do you think was the real event here boy?"
"I oughta know better then some fellas but I sure do know that Mr. Bob Ewell raped his own daughter. S' right sir. His own daughter."

_____________________________________________________________________________

Letter to Editor

 

Letter to Editor

Dear Mr. Grant

I must say that after reading your article on “One Shot Finch” I think that you aint'a put it on Maycomb Daily. I personally heard about Atticus Finch but never met him. After what I read on your article it is obvious that if he wanta' no one to know he was such an incredible shooter he most likely wouldn’t want it all over the news. I’ve been reading this Newspaper for a long time and I never encountered such a incident before. I think you should definitely take that of since I think it would be offensive to Mr. Finch. You oughta asked him for permission on it and I think that he would say not to put it on if he wanted it to be a secret. 

This could’ve lead to some serious problems Mr. Grant and I advise you to make a change in your newspaper or other people will learn about this incident and feel the same way I did, and I advise you to check before you post whatever you are going to post in Maycomb Daily as it is a wonderful Newspaper.

I am sure that if Mr. Finch reads this story and/or if his children read it he will be very mad and he will throw all his anger not at only you but to ya'll  working on Maycomb Daily. Please consider this as an instruction to help your Newspaper succeed in the future without any inconveniences.

Thank you for reading

Best Regards:

Sally Winston 

We managed to receive some own words with Mrs. Winston

“Mrs. Winson I believe that you certainly ain’t a saint bout’ Mr. Grant’s work here aint ya,”

“I dunno bout’ everyone else working on it but I think that he oughta remake that article.”

____________________________________________________________________________

Obituary
By: Nicole Brennan

Tom Robinson was a young and very strong man. He was a run-of-a-mill and never did harm to anyone. He has a beautiful wife named Helen and they had wonderful children. However his wife and kids had to face a terrible loss. Tom, a loved husband and a love father, was shot and killed.

He was charged with rape on a white woman.  Even with all the hard work Mr. Atticus Finch put in to defend Tom he was charged guilty on the false rape that Mr. Bob Ewell actually committed. Tom was as innocent as a mockingbird, but the Jury thought otherwise of this incident. They sent Tom to Justice Prison two miles away from Maycomb County. S' right. They sent him to prison for something he ain't done

It was on July 16, 1933 that Tom Robinson was reported dead. The people in Justice Prison say that it was during their exercise session when Tom was trying to climb over the fence and try to escape prison. The guards say the shot warning shots in the air but Mr. Tom didn’t pay attention and continued to try and escape. He was later shot seventeen times and was brutally  killed.

We got some of our own media on it.

“Why’d ya’ll shoot him?”

“Well, we oughta know better ain’t we now,”

“We knew that that the only way out was to shoot that darn bastard,”

Some people felt devastated and others didn’t care much. However Tom was a man like everyone else amongst us and he deserves a burial.

Tom Robinson was not going to be forgotten soon.