PTE

's

om. "I know that sound too well... that cannot be happening! Nurse!" I slamm

o calm down

y fists slammed harder, pai

d you're asking me to c

rders with brutal precision

oment, I saw the defibrillator paddles pressed to my

ce more under the current, h

l not

e it-c

olt. My breath ca

beep..

relieving rhythm. My legs gave way, and I

The doctor stepped out, mask dangling fr

now," he said, his

m with red, swoll

toring, and that means additional costs-far more than what you're paying now. If you can't make the payment in the

f money!" My voice rose, shaking with desperation. "I've given every

her way. Quickly." And with that, he walked off, leaving me

face in my hands. The hopelessness was suffocating.

luck and see if an

t of my pocket, sniffing back the tears

.. twice... thrice,

er voice sounding as sl

plea

e matter," she responded, sounding tired of me be

Please, just this one time,

lost cause. He's been in a coma for

ney. Please, he's dying. I just

And you should start accepting that. Stop wasting your lif

hought it might burst. "How can yo

"Now, he's... just a body. And I'm not th

a! The company's money, his money, properties... e

the phone tighter. "If you don't help me now, tonight will be th

ht she might give in. But when she finally spoke,

No!" I begged, falling to the floor a

rom the tears. A hollow, aching emptiness spread through my chest. I dropped the ph

find a nurse standing there-the same one I'd seen earlier by my father

or one person to carry." Her voice was smooth, almost coaxing. "You'

"Love doesn't matter if I can't keep him alive. They want more mon

d. She glanced around to ensure no one e

ce, "and I hate myself for even thinking about it..

her through swollen e

ingering there as if she were still deciding whether to go throu

ng my fingers over it. "Take this to the address on the back. Don't cal

fused and wary. "Why

I've seen that look before-the look of someone about to lose every

f you want to save your father tonight, that's the way. But once you s

anything else, leaving me with nothing but

, bold name printed on the front. Flipping it ove

last line, the hospital corri