Gareth felt the weight of uncertainty pressing down on him. He looked at Elara’s serene face, her chest rising and falling in mechanical rhythm. The machines were her lifeline, but what if they were also her chains? The notion was absurd, yet something in Callan’s eyes, the urgency of his voice, lingered.
Riona touched Gareth’s shoulder. “He’s just a kid, Gareth. He doesn’t understand.”
But Gareth barely heard her. His mind was racing, replaying the boy’s words: “Don’t trust those closest to her.” What did he mean? And how could a street child know intimate details about his daughter’s life?
That night, as the hospital quieted, Gareth shadowed the corridors in search of answers. He found Callan outside, seated on the curb, a lone figure in the city’s endless hum.
When Callan saw Gareth approach, hope flickered in his weary eyes.
“Why?” Gareth asked softly. “Why should I believe you?”
Callan looked down, tracing patterns in the dirt with his finger. “Because I once knew someone who needed help. No one believed them either. But I learned things, things about how the world works… and sometimes, it’s the things we trust most that hurt us.”
Gareth’s skepticism wavered. “What do you want me to do?”
“Just… give her a chance. Turn off the machines, only for a short while. It might be all she needs to find her way back.”
Conflicted between hope and fear, Gareth nodded, a decision forming. “Tomorrow,” he said, with a resolve he hadn’t felt in weeks.
The next day, Gareth requested the medical team to meet him. Dr. Myles was vehemently against any interference. “You’re risking her life, Mr. Quinnell. These machines keep her stable.”
Gareth’s voice was steady. “And what if stability isn’t what she needs? We’ll monitor her closely. Any sign of distress, and we’ll restore everything.”
Reluctantly, the doctors agreed to a brief shutdown. As they powered down one machine after another, the room grew still. Every eye was on Elara, the air thick with tension.
For a moment, nothing happened. Then a soft gasp escaped Elara’s lips. Her fingers twitched. The room erupted into action, doctors checking monitors as Gareth held his breath.
