Mmp—beep… beep… beep…"
An alarm sound invaded Connie's ears, muffled by her thick, soft blue blanket.
Her eyes squeezed shut as if glued together with mortar, and her eyebrows furrowed lazily.
She raised her hand into the air, trying to find something to stop the irritating sound, but no matter how much she waved it around, the only thing she found was empty air.
Connie felt a slight uneasiness in her chest. She always slept on the left side of the bed, right next to her alarm clock. So why did it seem so far away today?
"Beep… beep…! Beep!"
The noise grew increasingly unbearable, and Connie's hands still didn't touch anything. At some point, her eyelids finally opened, revealing red, tired, unfocused eyes.
"Ugh…"
With an awkward yawn, Connie dismissed the insistent alarm signaling that it was already 6 AM and she had to get ready for school.
She rubbed her heavy eyes with one hand and reached for her glasses with the other. But instead of the hard frame or the smooth lenses, her fingers brushed against soft strands of hair and caught a faint scent of lavender.
Connie looked down, revealing an unusual sight. A little girl with dark, slightly curly, messy hair slept beside her, one hand clutching her shirt.
Surprisingly, Connie had woken up before Asha. Every morning, Asha was already awake, reading a book or in their mother's room. Although they slept together, Asha always woke very early, as soon as the sun began to rise.
The sunlight streaming through the window illuminated her peaceful, sleeping face. Asha, still wearing her usual white dress, looked like a fairy straight out of a storybook.
Connie's breath caught in her throat as she took in the image before her.
Her eyes scanned Asha's face, then drifted down to her dress. It was a simple white dress, off-the-shoulder, with small details on the chest and a bow at the waist. But Connie wasn't admiring it. She was focused on the area around her stomach.
The tear stains had dried some time ago, but Connie's memories hadn't faded. She remembered the embarrassing things she had said, the ugly face she had made, and the desperation in her hug.
She, supposedly the older sister, had cried uncontrollably in her disabled sister's arms because she had no friends.
Just thinking about it made her head ache. Yet beneath the tangled emotions, there was also a sense of comfort.
"We're friends now…"
Those were the words Asha had written to her. Connie could still feel the care in those crooked lines.
Her lips curled upward involuntarily as her hands moved to caress the little girl's unruly hair. Her cheeks still tingled, but here, alone, Connie felt no need to suppress those feelings.
She stroked Asha's hair and buried her face against her cheek, as if trying to draw strength from her.
Asha was a very heavy sleeper. Even if someone poked her in the middle of the night, she wouldn't flinch. She always slept for exactly seven and a half hours and never woke once. If Connie had to guess, she wouldn't be surprised if 80% of that sleep was deep sleep.
Of course, there was still a slight risk that Asha might wake soon, given how close it was to her usual time. But if even Connie felt exhausted after going to bed so late, Asha, who slept far more soundly, probably wouldn't wake up yet.
Connie had no intention of letting go anytime soon. But after a few minutes, something began to bother her.
'Why can't I feel her breathing?'
Asha's body felt colder than usual. Her fingers were stiff, and her heartbeat was faint.
As Connie became more alert, she started noticing more unsettling details.
She pulled back from the embrace and lowered her head, pressing her ear against Asha's chest.
The heartbeat was slow, so slow it almost seemed nonexistent. Connie's focus snapped back, and her hands moved quickly to check Asha's pulse.
Just like her heartbeat, it was barely detectable.
Finally, Connie placed a finger beneath Asha's nostrils. She held it there, waiting to feel even the slightest breath, but there was nothing, or if it existed, it was so faint that it could hardly be felt.
Connie's heart began to race as the pieces came together in her mind.
No breathing. A dangerously slow heartbeat. A barely detectable pulse.
All of it pointed to a single word.
Cardiac arrest.
Connie felt the world become a little blurrier than usual. Her breathing was rapid, and sweat dripped from her face, but she could barely notice her condition.
Her hands moved in unison on Asha's chest in steady, rhythmic motions, providing first aid. She didn't know if she was doing it right, but either she did something, or Asha would never see the light of day.
Her fingers trembled on her sister's white dress, but her hands continued performing the same movements: pump the heart three times, provide oxygen, and keep repeating.
There was no time to think. There was no time for hesitation.
This process lasted long enough for Connie's shoulders to begin to protest.
She had to call for help. She wouldn't last much longer.
With that thought crossing her mind in a millisecond, Connie acted quickly and emptied her lungs with a single phrase.
"Mom!!"
Her scream was so loud that she could feel her own voice vibrating inside her chest. Quickly, footsteps were heard. The door opened, revealing a woman with sharp eyes and rapid breathing.
Her pupils seemed to dilate at the sight of Connie's desperate figure with her hands on Asha's chest, moving continuously. But like a professional, she forcefully removed any concern from her mind and took Connie's position.
"Tell your father to move the car and get the documents!"
Connie, still breathless, only shook her head and ran toward the door with chaotic steps, not quite knowing what was left or right.
Priyanka looked at the girl again, on the verge of death in her arms. It was almost as if the first day she met her was repeating itself before her eyes.
On their first encounter, she had been in a much worse state, full of injuries, in contrast to the peaceful figure in the bed.
As her hands moved across Asha's chest and her lips replenished her artificial lungs, Priyanka again remembered the first promise she made to the girl.
"You will live."
Even if it was the last thing she did, she wouldn't let her daughter die.
Not while she was still alive in this world.*
In a completely white room, a little girl with black hair lay in a coma. A machine measured her heart rate, and a mask supplied her with oxygen in real time. There were no injuries on her small body, but needles remained attached to her arm, providing everything her body needed to continue functioning.
In front of the bed, three Maheswarans stared at a single man in a lab coat who was reading some documents.
"What's your diagnosis?"
Priyanka asked, maintaining her composure even as her heart raced.
Liam glanced at his colleague, likely more experienced than he was, now forced to wait for her own daughter's diagnosis. It was a strange situation, one doctor treating another, but he kept his composure and spoke to the family with steady professionalism.
"Her body has entered a state of greatly reduced metabolism. We believe this was triggered by a failure in the autonomic nervous system after extreme stress."
"Extreme stress...?" Doug repeated the words contemplatively as the familiar scene of a library flashed through his mind.
"She's in a state of marked hypometabolism. All vital systems are preserved, but they're functioning at a reduced rate. We haven't identified any primary pathological condition. Given her history of cardiac arrest, this may be a delayed neurophysiological response, possibly involving autonomic nervous system dysfunction and worsened by acute psychological stress. However, this is still a provisional assessment pending further evaluation."
Priyanka listened to the report in silence, trying to process the information.
She had closely observed Asha's body during these months. Her body had remained stable and healthy throughout this period. She rarely had extreme fluctuations and always slept at a good time and ate well.
If there were no chronic problems in her body and her routine was good, she could only think of psychological factors. It was very strange that her body reacted so suddenly when she had complete data on Asha's vital signs.
Priyanka's gaze then shifted to Doug, who had a blank expression, then to Connie, whose tears seemed poised to fall at any moment, and then back to Asha's sleeping face in the hospital bed.
She kept a cool head, organizing the data in her mind.
Asha's body didn't function conventionally. For example, she was mute and unable to walk, even though her brain was perfectly healthy.
The traumas this child carried were greater than anything she could have imagined, and they seemed to manifest physically as her disabilities.
Asha regularly went out to sunbathe, usually accompanied by Priyanka, and only for a short time. However, yesterday she spent an entire day out with Doug, someone with whom she showed signs of tension.
She thought that bringing Doug and Connie together to go out with Asha would be a good way to strengthen their bond.
Asha was stable and mature and had already opened up to Connie.
She trusted that everything would work out even without her direct supervision.
It was supposed to be a simple visit to the library.
But how did this "simple visit" reach this point?
How had she allowed it to happen?
Priyanka's fists clenched tightly, her nails leaving marks on her palms.
She held no grudge against Connie or Doug; after all, the idea of letting them go out together had come from her. In the end, she was the only one to blame. Her lack of foresight, her lack of supervision, and her lack of care had all resulted in the situation before her.
Her daughter lay in a deep coma, with no telling when she would open her eyes, kept alive by machines because her body was incapable of functioning on its own.
She was genuinely ashamed of the situation she herself had created.
When she took her out of the hospital, she had promised herself that something like this wouldn't happen again. Yet in less than a year, they were back in the same hospital, going through the same ordeal.
Something that could have been avoided.
Something that was her responsibility.
How could this situation have happened?
Priyanka closed her eyes and took a deep breath, regulating her turbulent emotions.
In front of her stood her coworker, looking at her worriedly; beside her were her husband and daughter, shaken by the situation, probably blaming themselves for what had happened.
In this situation, if she didn't remain calm, who would?
She had to be strong.
"I understand. So we will continue to keep her under observation and care full-time, right?"
"Exactly. Due to the government program and the benefits of your contract, part of the costs will be covered." Liam said in a light, warm tone that usually helped soothe his patients.
In a medical ward, those who suffer the most are often the patient's family members. The fear of losing someone important, the financial burden, and the psychological impact build into a snowball effect, causing a cascade of emotional strain.
Many doctors lose their sensitivity over time while dealing with such extreme scenarios. Even Liam was somewhat apathetic in this situation, although it still pained him to see someone so young repeatedly returning to the hospital in such a serious condition.
It was almost a defense mechanism; if doctors didn't know how to manage themselves, they would end up becoming overwhelmed by the pressure of their profession.
"As for how long she will remain in a coma, is there any prediction?" Priyanka asked, her expression composed and steady.
"About that..." Liam began slowly. He glanced at Doug and Connie's troubled faces, then hesitated.
The test results were far from normal, and he didn't have the courage to speak so openly to someone in such a sensitive state.
Priyanka, noticing his gaze, turned firmly to the two dejected figures behind her.
"Doug, please take care of Connie today. I'll discuss the details with the doctor."
Doug listened to his wife's firm words, then took Connie's hand, who looked devastated as he led her out of the room.
Now only the two of them remained.
Without wasting time, Priyanka turned back to Liam.
"So, what's the real situation?"
Liam sighed wearily and scratched his hair; his eyebrows furrowed as if the information on the paper hurt his eyes.
"The truth is... we don't know. She could remain in a coma for a day, a week, or even a year. The test results are confusing and sometimes inconsistent with the records we have. We'll probably have to redo them entirely."
"Inconsistent? How?"
"We couldn't determine her blood type or her metabolic markers. The blood vials we had stored were mysteriously empty, making any comparison impossible, and her cells remain active even without blood circulation. It's a scenario unlike anything we've ever seen and at first sight seems to contradict fundamental principles of medicine."
"...I see."
Liam's words were shocking, but Priyanka wasn't surprised. She knew very well how anomalous Asha's physiology was. After all, she had reviewed each of her reports.
On the contrary, hearing Liam's statements only strengthened her hypothesis that Asha had been genetically modified.
Perhaps even if they used all the tools modern medicine offered, they wouldn't be able to identify anything. It was as if Asha functioned biologically in a way that inverted everything they knew.
As for the purpose of such an experiment, there could be several explanations, but she wasn't there to speculate. The point was that, in order to cure Asha, she would somehow have to understand how she functioned.
As she analyzed the test results in her hands, Liam's eyes grew increasingly curious about the data on the paper. Almost as if he were admiring the situation.
"Don't you think her case is intriguing? The research potential her body offers is enormous, enough to revolutionize medicine. Her absence of disease and continued cellular activity could provide direct evidence for curing serious illnesses like cancer and other conditions previously thought incurable—"
"Enough."
Priyanka's voice cut through his words, sharp and final.
She met his gaze without hesitation and warned him.
"She is my daughter, not a research subject. I trust that is understood."
With those sharp words, Liam's restless hands immediately calmed down.
He realized how insensitive and unnecessary his comment had been to Priyanka, who was watching her adopted daughter in a coma.
In these circumstances, the advancement of medicine or the girl's peculiar physique was nothing more than noise to her.
"I apologize for my earlier comment." Liam bowed cordially to Priyanka, but her gaze didn't linger on him for long.
"Don't worry about it, but I'd like to be alone for a while."
Liam closed his eyes in regret at his slip of the tongue and straightened his back.
He organized the remaining documents he was carrying and handed them to Priyanka.
"Here is the data from all the tests. I hope it helps."
Priyanka took the documents, quickly flipping through them. Liam watched her, completely engrossed, and then left the room.
As he stepped out, two curious figures stared intently at him; their identities were no surprise.
They were the adoptive father and sister of the girl in a coma. Unlike Priyanka, who remained cold, the two seemed only somber.
The little girl's eyes were slightly red, and she was still wearing blue pajamas. She probably hadn't even had time to change and had come straight to the hospital.
The previous events seemed to have deeply shaken her. There was a high probability that this memory could become traumatic for her.
It was surprising that less than half a year of living together had created such a strong bond between her and the patient, considering she had been expressionless and mute.
Asha rarely interacted at the hospital and only had contact with two staff members: Maria and Priyanka. Even when he tried to engage her directly, he was usually ignored while the child drew without acknowledging him.
How could she provoke such a reaction in these family members? That was very intriguing.
Her role in that family seemed very important, akin to that of a blood relative. What gave him even more certainty was the restrained and shaken expression of the man in front of him.At first glance, he seemed calm and serene, but judging by the rigidity of his limbs, he was like a pressure cooker about to explode.
While Liam calmly analyzed the two, it didn't take long for their attention to turn to him as well.
"Doctor, what is her condition?"
As a healthcare professional, this question wasn't new, but it was the first time he had no idea how to begin answering it.
It wouldn't be wrong to say she was healthy based on her physical exams, but it also wouldn't be wrong to say she was in critical condition, considering that modern technology didn't seem to be having much effect on her treatment.
But faced with the desperate eyes of her family, he still had to give a fitting answer.
"All I can say is… compared to the first time we saw her, she's much better. I'd say we can be optimistic about the future."
Although Liam's words seemed comforting, they had the opposite effect on the family.
"The first time…?" Connie asked, covering her mouth as her eyes trembled in disbelief. Liam couldn't read minds, but the image she was imagining was probably not pleasant.
Her father sat with his fist in front of his eyes, making it impossible to clearly see his expression. However, a deafening silence surrounded him.
Apparently, his comment had only made things worse. It was the second time that day a remark had put him in a difficult situation. Today really didn't seem to be his lucky day.
Liam anxiously looked around for something to ease the tension until a distinctive nurse passed by with an excited expression.
Just looking at her radiant demeanor seemed to energize the area around her. This nurse was none other than Maria, on her way to submit her resignation letter.
After arranging to meet with Priyanka on weekends, she decided to invest in her career as an educator.
The online course she had recorded on sign language and autism was earning her a good extra income, and the thought of soon seeing the child who never left her mind filled her with hope.
She didn't know why she hadn't submitted her resignation letter sooner. She was considering quitting right then and there and surprising the Maheswarans.
What should she do to make a good impression? She had to bring some gifts and some food, but what did the Maheswarans like? Maybe pudding? She had never met anyone who didn't like pudding…
While she was lost in her own thoughts, Maria's hopeful eyes met Liam's silently desperate gaze.
Her steps immediately halted. Her instincts warned her that approaching him at that moment would drag her into a difficult situation against her will.
Her smile froze, and her steps grew more cautious. Her instincts told her to find a way out before the situation became uncomfortable.
She was in the middle of a narrow corridor. Turning back the way she came would be awkward. To her left was a blank white wall, and the elevator and stairs were just a little further ahead.
In the end, she had no choice but to keep moving forward. If she could find even one person to talk to, she might be able to slip away. After all, Liam wasn't bold enough to interrupt a conversation.
'Please, anyone will do...!' Maria silently pleaded to whatever force might be listening as she searched for someone who could save her from the situation.
Then, as if the universe had finally decided to grant her petty wish, a somewhat familiar employee came into view.
A janitor with a rather foolish expression and large headphones was scrubbing the floor, completely absorbed in his own world.
He was the same man Maria had grabbed by the collar months ago. For some reason, they hadn't crossed paths since. Still, in a moment like this, she couldn't afford to be picky.
As awkward as starting a conversation might be, it was far better than getting dragged into patient drama that even Liam couldn't handle.
Having made up her mind, she stepped forward, trying to keep her movements natural.
As she approached, the man, whistling an upbeat tune, accidentally glanced in her direction.
His once-animated expression froze as he tried to process what he had seen. The smile Miss Maria wore was so sour that he felt his tongue twitch in his mouth, as if trying to avoid the image before him.
He had avoided crossing paths with her ever since the last time he had been lifted by the collar by the nurse's slender arms.
Whenever she visited a place, he made a point of waiting a few minutes or cleaning another area.
None of his colleagues seemed to believe him, and they even laughed in his face when he described what had happened.
Maria often did favors for others, and her reputation was generally very positive. As a result, everything he said seemed like nothing more than an attempt to defame the young nurse's image.
Seeing that complaining was futile, he had settled on simply avoiding her, like a ticking time bomb that could go off at any moment.
But why was she walking in a direction she rarely took today? He had even changed his hairstyle and clothes to avoid being recognized at a glance.
The poor janitor gripped the mop tightly as Maria drew ever closer. His eyes searched for an exit, but a white wall stretched along both sides. The only way out was the elevator, which was a little further back.
He tried to turn around quickly, but a hand landed on his shoulder in a desperate squeeze.
"Wow, it's been a while since I've seen you! How have you been?"
A cheerful, seemingly gentle voice came from behind him. The janitor felt a chill run through him, and his heart pounded rapidly, threatening to burst from his chest.
His eyes narrowed in regret, but at some point, he had to face reality. He forced a smile and tried to act naturally as he cautiously turned around, avoiding direct eye contact.
"If it isn't Miss Maria, hahaha! It's a beautiful day, isn't it?"
The janitor's lips and hands trembled, and sweat beaded on his forehead as his watchful eyes tracked her every move.
Maria immediately felt a pang of guilt and shame at seeing him in such a state.
Months ago, she had been under immense pressure and sleeping very poorly, and the man before her had been an unfortunate victim of her impulsiveness. With things more stable, she would never act like that again.
Aware that she was the wrong party in the situation, Maria quickly tried to mend the situation and offer a helping hand.
"Hmm, about when I grabbed you by the collar earlier..."
"Ah, it's such a beautiful day! I feel like I should clean the entire second floor! Forgive my intrusion, Miss Maria, but duty calls!"
Without hearing another word from Maria, the man ran off, clutching his mop. He moved so fast it seemed as if he were fleeing from a bomb about to explode at any moment.
Maria's hand froze mid-air as she watched her last glimmer of hope vanish before her eyes.
Suddenly, a voice came from behind, as if delivering her sentence.
"If it isn't Nurse Maria!"
Maria's back trembled at the unnatural voice announcing her presence to who-knows-who.
Her cheerful expression gradually froze, and her eyes closed as if she had just tasted something bitter. But seconds later, a professional smile formed on her face.
She had already been exposed, so there was nothing to be done. She would help just this once. After all, she would be leaving this frustrating job soon anyway.
"Doctor Liam..."
As the words left her mouth, her eyes scanned the people around him. The first thing that caught her attention was an introverted cutie with glasses, strikingly similar to an acquaintance of hers. Beside her stood a man with a depressed expression and a heavy aura that seemed to swallow the abyss itself.
These were people she had only seen in photos before, and now they had suddenly taken shape.
Maria, who had been smiling, suddenly short-circuited. Her tongue got stuck behind her teeth, twisted awkwardly, unable to produce the next word.
'What were the Maheswarans doing here?'
Suddenly, she felt as if she had returned to her first job interview. Her back broke out in a cold sweat, and her breathing became uneven.
She remembered the words she had just said and the position she was in now.
These were exactly the people she should be trying to impress. How much had they heard of the previous conversation?
"Maria was the nurse who spent the most time with the patient, and she will also be the one taking care of her during this period."
Liam began to present her in a rather suspicious manner. He approached and patted her shoulder twice while introducing her to the Maheswarans.
Maria stood there like a robot short-circuiting, unable to say a word.
"If you have any questions, just ask Maria. She had the most contact with the patient and accompanied her through all the procedures."
Two pairs of eyes sharpened in her direction, making Maria shrink like a rabbit in front of a predator.
"My time is unfortunately limited, and I need to go to the emergency ward on the second floor to treat some patients. Maria, I leave the situation in your capable hands."
"Eh? Wait, Dr. Liam...?"
Before she could regain her senses, the irresponsible doctor had already fled, dumping everything onto the poor nurse's shoulders.
What the hell had just happened?Was her little totem back in the hospital? Why did they look so distressed? Had something serious happened? And what about her stable job...?
Maria's world began to crumble in real time, but before she could sink into her thoughts, a firm hand grasped her wrist. A serious gaze studied her, as if looking straight into her soul.
"I'd like to ask you a few questions."
Maria swallowed hard under the man's penetrating gaze, and her legs trembled like those of a newborn deer.
She had no idea what she had gotten herself into, but her survival instincts kicked in quickly.
"Yes, sir. Ask me anything."
Her smile was perfect, but her hand gripped the resignation letter so tightly that it became crumpled beyond recognition.
It seemed her resignation would be delayed.
This week was going to be a very long week for Maria.
*
"Yes, sir. Ask me anything."Author's note
Maria is so pretty in the new AI model.
Thank you for reading it ❤️
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