The hospital room was quieter than usual, though the silence held a tension that no one could name aloud. Machines hummed faintly, monitors blinked their steady green rhythm, and the faint antiseptic smell clung to the air as if trying to erase the scent of fear. Alliah lay propped against her pillows, a soft scarf tied around her head, her skin pale but glowing faintly in the dim light. She had just endured another grueling round of treatment, and her body trembled with exhaustion.
Jamiro sat by her side, fingers curled tightly around hers, as though sheer grip alone could anchor her to strength. Across the room, Apple leaned against the wall, arms crossed, eyes sharp as if holding back words she wanted to release but couldn’t—yet. Joshua sat on a chair near the window, knees tucked clos
