6
Talia walked out of pod seven in a state of half-shock. Just the knowledge that her grandfather was alive was enough to disrupt her equilibrium. But the wild story was so detailed, she couldn’t help but wonder if any part of it was true. She stopped at the nurse's station and leaned against the desk.
“He must have lost his mind,” Talia said to herself.
“Are you all right, Miss?” the nurse in her later years asked.
Talia startled. “Oh. Fine.”
“You don’t look fine,” the nurse added. “The intensive care unit isn’t an easy place.”
“I’m agitated, I guess. He just doesn’t seem like he . . . You’ll look after him? Mr. Stiel, I mean.”
“Of course. Your grandfather is in good hands. We’ll keep him as comfortable as we can.”
“Thank you,” Talia said, her voice leaking telltale signs of menta
