As Michael quietly opened the door, the sterile smell of antiseptic filled the air, mingling with the faint scent of flowers that his mother had left behind in a lovely-looking vase on the nearby table.

He took a deep breath before approaching the bed, his feet padding against the cold linoleum floor.

He stopped before his sister’s body, the sight of her looking so pale and vulnerable sending a sharp pain through his chest. Her normally vivid face, though often wearing a serious expression, was now bruised and pale.

It stirred up a myriad of emotions within him: guilt, anger, sadness, and helplessness.

Michael pulled up a chair and sat...