The quiet room offered a brief, necessary respite from the preceding chaos, and into this space stepped Dr. Elisabeth, a woman whose piercing, intelligent eyes seemed to catalog every detail of the emotional landscape, tempered only by the kind, weary smile she offered. Amelia was finally awake, situated comfortably, her immediate circle—her steadfast friend Lucy and her relieved parents—forming a protective, silent vigil around her, while Kevin and Austin, having decided to remain, wanted to know what happened to her. The doctor’s gaze rested upon the small group, a silent acknowledgment of the shared experience that had just bound them, her calm demeanor offering the first tangible sense of safety and professional assurance that the worst of the ordeal had passed.
“Two days before Ameli
