Loneliness clung to the hospital bed like a second blanket. Days blurred into beeping monitors and sterile light, while nights stretched endlessly, hollow and quiet.
Silence settled heavily, broken only by distant footsteps and machines. It felt as though time itself had slowed, leaving her alone with her thoughts and fear.
Then, one night, a gentle stranger appeared. His voice was calm, his presence steady, offering comfort that felt almost like rescue.