sporadic, a nurse would rush in with all sorts of scary looking instruments attached to a variety of different tubes. Amy didn't understand what they were all about. She didn't understand many things. Being only eight years old, all she really knew was that she had a disease called AIDS. She had had it since she was born. Her mother had given it to her and died when she was only one, from the same fatal disease. Amy was told by relatives that she had no father.

This was the hardest thing for her to figure out. She knew not everyone's parents lived together, and some people had fathers who had died, but she just didn't understand how she could have absolutely no father. It was one of the things she spent much time, while lying around in bed, thinking about. It wasn't not knowing her father that bugged her, but the fact that, as far as 16 She only wanted a friend time in the hospital. King Edward VII Memorial Hospital was like her home. She planned to be there all month which meant she would be spending Christmas there. She didn't mind this because she had done it all before and knew what to expect. It was a gloomy, rainy and cold day outside. Amy went out into the hall dragging an I.V. tube behind her. She was so used to doing this, it was like the I.V. had become a part of her. Entering the hall was like falling into a sea of colours and sparkles. There were trees decorated with lights and tinsel making everything sparkle to the point where it made her feel dizzy.

The only decoration she actually enjoyed was a bunch of lights put together in a way that looked like an angel. She had decided that was her favourite years ago, because for some strange reason, it reminded her of her mother. Then she looked at herself. The only decoration she had was her I.V. A few of the nurses said hello to her as she made her way to the play room, but still she felt a deep feeling of loneliness. All the twinkling lights and decorations, even her favourite angel only made her feel worse. In the play room, Amy usually sat alone and watched TV or read to herself. Today she had something else planned. She got her paper and pen out ready to write her letter to Santa. Her letter went: Dear Santa, My name is Amy. I am eight years old and have a disease called AIDS. Do you know what that is? Well this year I'm not asking for toys. All I want for Christmas this year is a true friend. A friend who isn't afraid that I will make them sick and who will play games with me. I don't want toys because they do not do me any good if I have no one to share them with. Please Santa, just give me one true friend and I'll be happy forever. Love, Amy. After carefully checking the letter to make sure it said exactly what she wanted it to say, she put it in a box labelled `Letters to Santa'. Then she crossed her fingers and wished and wished she would get what she wanted just this once. Two days before Christmas one of the nurses named Robin was emptying the box which had the letters to Santa in it. She was planning on delivering them to the ZBM station where the letters were read on TV, when her shift was over. One letter fell to the floor. It was decorated with a tree, but instead of three being presents under it there was a person.

She opened the letter and saw that it from a girl, Amy. As she read it tears welled up in her eyes. Robin decided right then and there to make this girl's wish come true. As soon as she could, Robin rushed to Amy's room. On the way there she stopped and picked up a small box of chocolates for her at the gift shop. Amy was surprised to have a visitor but welcomed Robin into her room.

She thought it was a bit strange that a complete stranger would just bring her a box of chocolates but she was extremely glad for the company. They sat and talked in the cold room for hours. Amy told Robin about her mother, about not having a father and about the few other relatives that she had. Robin talked to Amy about her job at the hospital as a nurse working to be a paediatrician, and her family. They found the had a lot in common -- both their moms had died when they were very young and they both liked the colour aqua. The cold, empty room had now become warm and full of life. After they had talked for so long that it seemed like they'd known each other for years, Robin took Amy to the play room and they played every game there and more. It was the first time that Amy had ever played one of these games because no one would ever play with her. Later that evening, Robin had to leave, but she gave Amy a big hug and her word that she'd be back tomorrow. As Amy fell asleep, she thought about how great it was to have a friend and she knew her wish was coming true.

The next day, Christmas Eve, Amy woke up with an awful pain in her chest. She heard the monitor above her head go `Beep...beep', and then stop. A nurse came running in with more machines but this time it was Robin. Her face was pale and panicked. This made Amy get an awful feeling in her stomach. Amy felt sharp pains all over as needles and tubes were inserted into her. For some reason though, Amy knew she would be all right. She realised it was because she trusted Robin and the doctors to save her, and they did. Robin spent all day with Amy, sharing secrets, playing games, and just having fun. It didn't take Amy long to realise that Robin was the one true friend she had wished for. Along with the fun, Amy felt a miserable sickness but she managed to ignore it because all the excitement and fun distracted her. Still, it was the worst she had ever felt. That evening Amy felt so faint she collapsed. Again, a doctor hooked her up to various machines. As uncomfortable as she was, she managed to fall asleep. On Christmas morning Amy woke up to the sound of carols being played on a piano. The sound came from outside her door -- probably the play room, but Amy felt too weak to get up and see. Her eyelids felt too heavy to open but she could feel Robin sitting next to her holding her hand. Amy knew something was wrong by the way she couldn't move her body.

The sound of Robin's tears just made the fact more obvious. She felt colder than she'd ever felt in her whole life. And more than anything, she was scared. "Robin,'' she managed to ask in a shaky whisper, "will you promise to remember me always as your friend? I also want you to know that you are the best friend I've ever had.'' Robin just answered her with more tears. Amy knew that today was the last Christmas she'd ever have, but she wasn't sad.

Instead, she was happy she had finally made a true friend. The last words she heard were, "Merry Christmas Amy,'' whispered by her one true friend. SHORT STORY CONTEST CPN