Damien Shaw

I wake up groggy, my body feeling heavy and sore. The first thing I notice is the dull ache in my back, where they harvested the bone marrow. It’s not unbearable, but it’s enough to remind me what just happened. I blink, trying to focus as the world slowly sharpens around me.

“Mr. Shaw?” a nurse says gently. “You’re in recovery now. How are you feeling?”

I clear my throat. “How’s Lily?”

It’s the only thing I care about, the only thing I need to know.

The nurse smiles softly, adjusting something on the IV beside me. “The transplant will happen soon. She’s doing well, and the doctors...