The Day Our Promise Breaks

Andrew's shout, wild with ecstatic relief, shattered the heavy gloom of the lab like a lightning strike.

"Hurry! Draw the serum now! Ultra-purify it—maximum concentration! Move!" His voice shook with excitement as he summoned his team.

The assistants sprang into action without missing a beat.

Andrew took charge himself, hands steady but moving fast, drawing out the vital blood from Charles's battered veins veins that had barely survived heart failure and a toxic onslaught.

That blood held hope: rare antibodies, shimmering with the promise of a miracle.

Every second was precious.

The purification machines whirred at full tilt, the concentration process racing the clock.

Within minutes, Andrew was clutching a vial of potent antibody serum in his hand.

He didn't hesitate. Sprinting down the corridor, he crashed through the door of the next treatment room.

"Now! Give this to Charlie-right now!"

Andrew's arrival snapped Francis out of his hopeless daze.

Just moments earlier, Charlie's heart monitor was barely flickering her life hanging by a thread.

Francis had given Charles his word: he'd save Charlie. He couldn't let her slip away now.

"Everyone, move!"

command scattered the team around Charlie's bed, clearing a

serum straight

moment it entered, an invisible warmth seemed to flood Charlie's icy, bluish skin, washing

barely coaxed back to life-struggled to find consciousness, desperate to

"Charlie..."

little more

name.

bloodshot eyes, unfocused and weary,

couldn't rest until he

to stay awake, every second a battle. Everyone held their breath, waiting, watching Charlie for any sign of life. Charles didn't have the strength to

little hand in Charles's

around hers, weak but determined. No one said a

heartbeat

as doubt began to

to stip away, the monitor beside Charlie's bed-its line nearly flat-suddenly jumped, pulsing with a strong, steady

heart kicked back, the

shrill alarms faded, replaced by steady, gentle beeping-the sound

Charlie's hand warmed

She was back.

team rushed to check her

turned to Charles, voices trembling with relief. "Charles,

it. You

over him, Charles finally let go

holding for so long.