Over the next few days, cancer continues to spread until it eventually engulfs most of her stomach and part of her liver and kidneys. Annie begins to cry in horror and agonizing pain. Franklin is watching on all the while. "Isn't there anything you can do to help save her life?" he demands of Doctor Trueheart.
"I'm trying," replies the doctor, "but her cancer keeps resisting anything I throw at it."
Meanwhile, back at the farm, Apple Jam and little Golden Apple are being foalsat by one of their good neighbors, Miss Cherry Redpit. She does her best to keep the children calm and their hopes up. "Where's momma?" asks Apple Jam concerned. "What happened to her?"
"Sweetie," replies Miss Cherry, "your mother might not live much longer I'm afraid. She has stomach cancer and it's spreading quickly."
"No, no, no, it can't be!" replies Apple Jam shakily. "She can't be dying. She just can't be." She breaks into tears and Miss Cherry does her best to console the poor filly. Little Golden Apple, on the other hand, has no idea what is going on. He's too young to understand the concept of death. Miss Cherry is kind of relieved at this, however, but on the other hand, she sees it as him not truly knowing what is going to happen to his mother in the next few days or even month if they're lucky. His mom is likely going to die and the poor colt has no concept on how to grasp such a scary and traumatizing idea. For now, all they can do is hope and pray the doctor somehow manages to find a way to save Annie's life before it's too late.