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!"

scattered the team around Charlie's bed, clearing a path for

injected the serum

an invisible warmth seemed to flood Charlie's icy, bluish skin,

death, his heart barely coaxed back to life-struggled to find consciousness, desperate to be near his daughter. Francis understood. He

"Charlie..."

were cracked, his voice little more than

name.

and weary, searched for his

couldn't rest until he saw her

awake, every second a battle. Everyone held their breath, waiting, watching Charlie for any

placed Charlie's cold little hand in Charles's

fingers around hers, weak but determined. No one said a

heartbeat

began

just as hope started to stip away, the monitor beside Charlie's bed-its line nearly flat-suddenly jumped,

heart kicked back, the

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

Charlie's hand warmed within

She was back.

rushed to check her vitals,

were sure everything was stable, they turned to Charles, voices trembling with relief. "Charles, she's out

it. You

washed over him, Charles finally let go

holding for so long.