Evelyn Parker

Chapter Twenty-One

In the heart of the humming hospital, amidst the symphony of beeping machines and hushed whispers, Melissa was a picture of calm and efficiency. With over half a decade worth of experience under her belt, she moved with a grace that came from knowing her tasks inside out, her eyes scanning medical charts, her hands adjusting IV lines with an ease that was almost balletic.

She found herself sharing fragments of her summer life with her colleagues, the conversation a soothing balm against the relentless rhythm of their shifts.

"How's summer treating you?" asked a nurse, her auburn hair tied back neatly, her gaze carrying the wisdom of her mid-thirties.

Melissa granted her a warm smile. "Same old, same old. You know how it is - there's never a dull moment with me. Evelyn's been doing well, though. She's helping out at a local café now, running the place with the owner."

"That's wonderful," replied the auburn-haired nurse, a genuine smile lighting up her face. "She must be bringing so much joy to the customers."

Melissa chuckled, the sound bright in the otherwise sterile hospital air. "That's Evelyn for you. Always ready to go above and beyond."

The nurse gave Melissa's shoulder a comforting pat. "You must be so proud of her."

"More than words can express," Melissa affirmed, her gaze distant yet filled with warmth.

Their conversation was abruptly cut off by the harsh blare of the hospital's alarms, a call to arms that no nurse ever wanted to hear.

"Code 3233. All medical personnel to the lobby. Repeat, Code 3233, lobby," commanded the impersonal voice of the intercom.

Melissa exchanged a glance with her colleague, their shared look fraught with worry.

As they arrived at the hub of the commotion, the sight they were met with was a punch to Melissa's gut. There on the floor, writhing in pain, was a figure all too familiar.

"Evelyn!" Melissa gasped, rushing to her daughter's side.

She and the other nurse dropped to their knees, their expert hands moving to assess the situation. Evelyn, usually so vibrant, was a stark contrast now - her face twisted in agony, her eyes screwed shut.

"Mom?" she managed to croak out, her voice sounding fragile and far too young.

"I'm here, baby. I'm here," Melissa soothed, her heart aching. "You're going to be okay. We've got you."

Melissa gently moved Evelyn's hand away from her arm only to reveal a wound that made her blood run cold - a deep, festering cut on her upper arm, the skin around it blackened and veiny.

"We need a room, STAT!" the auburn-haired nurse barked, her voice ringing out in the chaotic lobby. "NOW!"

.•° ✿ °•.

In the eye of the storm that was the emergency room, Melissa found herself rooted to the spot at her daughter's bedside. Her heart beat a frantic tattoo against her ribcage, the fear and worry a palpable entity in the sterile room.

Evelyn was ensnared in a web of tubes and wires, each one a lifeline, each beep and blip a testament to the battle her body was waging. Her consciousness teetered on the edge, her eyelids fluttering closed and then jerking open in a battle of resistance.

"What's happening?" Melissa murmured, her voice barely a whisper amidst the din, her brows knitting together in a show of torment. "What's wrong with her?"

A nurse, her face a mask of professional concern, checked the monitors displaying Evelyn's vital signs.

"It's a bit of a puzzle at the moment," she admitted, her gaze never leaving the fluctuating lines. "Her heartbeat isn't steady. We initially thought it was an infection, but none of our treatments or antidotes are having any effect."