The sterile scent of disinfectant lingered in the air, clinging to the white walls of the hospital hallway. Axel stood alone, his back pressed against the cold wall as the fluorescent lights flickered faintly above his head. The muffled sounds of nurses talking and the distant beeping of machines filled the long corridor, yet everything around him felt muted— like he was trapped in a bubble where only his heartbeat echoed in his ears.
Everything was a blur in his memory. One second, they were talking under the tree, and the next... Raelynn had turned deathly pale. The way her eyes fluttered closed before her body went limp haunted him. It all happened so fast — too fast.
His hands trembled slightly as he clasped them together in front of him, fingers lacing tightly as if he was making a silent prayer. He lowered his head, shutting his eyes.
"Please... please let her be okay..."
