Finding Peace, Not Love

t of the hospital and into

ng where she was going, the nur

n love with

casting every memory she had of Arthur,

the apartment building where Arthur lived, the

key he' d given her months ago,

e, to collect the last few pieces

nt was dark

her heart pounding a

a soft sound from

urmur o

, she crept closer, her fee

door was s

and what she saw shattered the

sabella were

ntle affection he' d shown Chloe, b

r hair, and her arms were wr

bella murmured between kisses,

Arthur mumbled back, hi

always been you,

slightly, looki

sure... about the b

spered, a sly smile

morning. We' re going to hav

as a

, soul-cru

eard the do

there was no menti

and Arthur, blinded by his long-held

g, a grotesque performa

ausea washe

a strangled gasp

in the hallway, sending a heavy bro

e a gunshot in th

g in the bed

ur called out, his v

seized

e apartment and down the emergency st

just ran, tears streaming down her face, b

ssed a

own the last flight of stairs, her head cracki

loded behind her eyes,

fluorescent lights of a hosp

r, her face a mixture of pi

e," the nurse

cut on your head. We need to give you a transfusion. Is there a famil

ind was a

mi

ents we

had was the man who

bitter it almos

, a commotion erupted a

k of controlled fury, with Isabella cli

" Isabella

to explain, and she ran and fell do

ed the emergency roo

cern in his gaze, on

eeding, and his focus remained enti

he said, his voice a low, soot

to the nea

blood trans

t at Chloe, b

r balance because of this...

r looked

ransfusion is this young woman he

d seems fine,

didn' t

es wer

tor by the lapels

child. She is the priority. Give her the bloo

ced with the arrogance of a

about Isabella

sacrifice Chloe'

cene unfold as if f

ad saved, was now ready to let her d

compared to the vast, empty caver

then nod reluctantly under

ch her with a frown, r

in, the bright lights

ought was of the utte

ry life force, and giving it to

ess swallow