"Are you here with someone?" The one with the cell phone asks him. He stops fidgeting around, and peers up at the two ladies. They look like they might know stuff. They look like "officials"

He quickly shakes his head. "I just got here..." He tries to stop the lip quiver. He already looked out of place in the day care room. The others were smaller, frailer, sicker. He saw them drowsily watch Aladdin on the single flat screen hugging the wall. They probably wanted a genie too.
Oh, the things they would wish...

"Are you a patient here?" The tall one prods him. He glances at the notebook poised under her hand. Definitely official...

"I-I don't know. I just came because of the lump in my neck." He quickly brushes aside short brown hair to display them, "I told my Ammi that it was routine. She doesn't know..."
He takes in a series of measured breaths, as if to calm himself.

"What do you mean she doesn't know? Did you travel here by yourself?" The first one asks worriedly.
Why do they always ask this question?

"I just came here for the shot. I always do it alone. Ammi doesn't know yet. They are making me stay, so I wanted to call her. I think she is coming now. You can confirm...?" He states as firmly as he can, inspite of the shivers.

"We aren't employees here. We're just volunteers." One of them clucks worriedly over him. "You shouldn't be traveling by yourself! What's your name?"

He whispers his name.

"Ahmed?...Well, Ahmed, what did the doctor tell you?" The tall one asks gently.
"Albert. He is Albert." The first one whispers to her friend.

He nods solemnly, "I am Albert, and I have Blood Cancer. But it's okay, because Ammi is on her way..."

They are speechless. They stammer apologies, and instructions. He can still hear the hushed conversation.

"So what now? Do we record his story?"
"He doesn't have one yet..."

It never started from A. For Albert.
It started from B, and C.

Note:
Inspired by the boy I met yesterday during my internship at the Children's Cancer Hospital in Karachi. Stay strong Albert.