The mention of her impending departure sent a chill through Henry. She had become his lifeline, the voice that kept him tethered to the world. If she left, he would have no one. He would be trapped in the darkness, alone, forever.
The thought filled him with dread, but he couldn’t blame her. She deserved freedom, happiness…everything she had been denied. Still, the idea of losing her felt unbearable.
Her visits were the highlight of his existence. She combed his hair, changed his IVs, and ensured his room was clean and orderly. When she sat beside him and spoke, the suffocating darkness seemed to retreat ever so slightly.
“Henry,” she said one night, her voice trembling. “I don’t know if you can hear me, but... I hope you can. I need you to come back. Please. You’re the only one I can t
