“Shelly, how have you been, sweetie?” My father whispered as he stroked my hair gently. “Please stop crying. It breaks my heart to see you in so much pain. We will always be here for you, and I know you will be fine.”
“Dad?” His voice grew fainter as he talked, and when I looked at him, he was fading away, along with my mother.
“Mom? Dad?” I screamed, running towards them, but the more I ran, the more they faded. However, I refused to give up, and I continued running, unable to let them go.
“We will always be with you.” Their faint whisper echoed across the room, and in an instant, they were all gone.
“Noooooo!” I cried out in despair, and I woke up in my bed.
I slowly opened my eyes, taking in my immediate surroundings, but the familiar comfort of my bed was nowhere to be found. Instead, I was hit with the metallic stench of blood, its overpowering aroma filling my nostrils and making my stomach churn.
I gagged, my body recoiling from the overwhelming scent, and just then, the sound of footsteps echoed through the room, until Dr. Theo's worried face came into view, his forehead etched with deep lines of concern.
“Shelly?”