5 YEARS LATER
ST. HAVEN'S MEDICAL CENTER
ARIA'S WARD
The faint hum of machines filled the room, a rhythm I had grown too familiar with over the past five years. It was hard to believe that so much time had passed since that fateful day. The once-constant ache in my chest had dulled over the years, replaced by a heavy numbness. Yet, I never gave up hope. Not for Aria.
Today was her 24th birthday. October 28th. A day that should have been filled with celebration, laughter, and light. Instead, it marked yet another year that she lay in this bed, unresponsive but alive.
