The nurse called Kathy’s name, her voice slicing through the low murmur of the waiting room. Kathy rose from her seat, her hands trembling slightly as she gathered her things. Heart hammering, she started after the nurse, her steps echoing against the polished floor. The corridor ahead seemed to stretch endlessly, each fluorescent light humming softly above them.
With every step, Kathy felt fear and nervousness coiling tighter inside her. She kept her gaze fixed on the nurse’s crisp white uniform, as if it were a lifeline pulling her forward through the uncertainty. The hallway was quiet except for the occasional shuffle of footsteps—another nurse passed them by, nodding politely, but Kathy barely noticed.
Soon, she and her nurse reached a closed door at the end of the hall. In one smoot
