đ¨ CHAPTER 1: THE THING UNDER THE HAT
The ER fell into an unnatural silence.
The nurse didnât move.
Her gloves were still halfway under the edge of the blue knitted hatâfrozen like time had stopped inside that small pediatric room.
Toby sat completely still.
Too still.
Like a child trained not to breathe too loudly.
The stepdad stood near the door, his hand already gripping the handle⌠but he wasnât leaving yet.
Not fully.
Not until he knew.
The nurse finally exhaled, slow and shaky.
âSweetheartâŚâ she whispered. âWho did this to you?â
Toby didnât answer.
He only pulled the hat down harder.
Covering everything again.
Like the truth could be undone just by hiding it.
Behind the glass, a doctor walked closer.
And thatâs when the nurse saw it againâ
A faint mark near the boyâs wrist.
Not an injury.
A code.
And she realizedâŚ
May you like
This wasnât a hospital case.
This was containment.
