Newm

Garland' s frantic voice echoed in

ped securely around her waist, his body a shield. "Let' s

tte abandoning me on the cold, hard floor. A bitter coldness,

chaotic symphony of shouting voices and runn

Just a vast,

g, tethered to reality only by the sharp, clinical sme

nsfusion now. Her blood type is O-negative." A voic

blood type? Is anyone O-negati

the veil. Hope' s. "I am. I'

her blood flowing through my veins, saving me

p and cold as ice, answere

rland, s

ving no room for argument. "You were just in a state of

for

had made his choice clear. He would rather let me

gan, her voice trembling

voice cracking with an emotion he had ne

g compared to the slow, torturous tearing of my heart. It w

med me, and the darkness s

hospital room. An IV was taped to my arm, a bag of saline steadi

er expression prof

"We got the blood you needed just in time. The blo

ffered to donate," I

. "Yes, a Miss Green. But Mr. Madden refused. H

ospital' s biggest benefactors. His word carries a l

seeped into my marrow. He hadn' t just chosen Hope over me. H

e was willing to spend t

re?" I asked, though I

g all too familiar with. "He was here for a while, but he said h

usy taking c

l any other family for

ough my skull. "No. Thank you. Can you... can yo

surprised but nod

y escaped and traced a path down my temple, dis

f sadness. It was

his eyes, wa

ollowed, Garland n