GABRIEL

The blood froze in my veins. I tried to breathe in but a heavy weight was pressing on my chest. I heard it very well. The little girl said mommy.

She was still talking, but I was so shocked that I wasn’t able to get a word out. I simply hung up and realized my hand was shaking on the phone.

If this was a dream, maybe it was time for someone to pinch me and wake me up.

“Mr. Bates, are you leaving?” asked the nurse coming in to check on Kira.

“Yes...”

“Is everything all right, sir?” she insisted, but all I had to do was get...