3rd May, 6:30pm


    Mrs Anderson pulled off her gloves and dropped them onto the tray. "I wondered how she survived. She should have been dead by now. The strange part is, she''s healing so quickly." She hung her white medical coat on a hook, still mulling over the situation.


    As Jason rushed Kate into Mrs Anderson’s house, she swiftly cleared space in her underground medical lab. She ran a series of checkups on Kate, administering treatment as she worked. Once satisfied that Kate was stable, Mrs Anderson moved her to a room next to the lab and hooked her up to a ventilator. Throughout the entire process, she couldn’t stop wondering how Kate was still alive.


    “The chemical she inhaled is hydrogen sulfide,” Mrs Anderson informed, picking up the medical tray where she had discarded her gloves. “Hydrogen sulfide is a deadly gas often used in industrial settings. It shuts down your respiratory system almost immediately. Most people don’t survive even a small dose, and her exposure level would have killed anyone else. Yet, she survived it—I''ve never seen anything like this in all my years as a doctor. Her body is fighting back in a way I can’t explain. It’s almost as if something in her system is neutralizing the effects. I’ll need to run more tests to understand how." She glanced at Kate’s motionless form and sighed. "I’m not sure when she''ll wake up, but I’m confident she’ll make it."


    Jason nodded and placed his hands on his hips, his gaze fixed on Kate’s pale face. A heavy sigh escaped him.


    Mrs Anderson’s eyes moved to Jeff, leaning against the wall, arms folded, his eyes downcast. Dark circles marked the skin under his eyes, and she could see the lingering effects of tears. Her heart tightened as she watched him. She could feel the weight of sadness in the room, the fear in her son’s eyes. She looked back at Kate and wondered who this young woman was. This was the first time she had seen her.The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    "Who is she?" Mrs Anderson asked. "What’s her name?"


    “She’s Kate,” Jason replied, his voice low.


    “And...?” Mrs Anderson prompted.


    Jason rubbed the back of his neck, glancing at Jeff, but Jeff only shifted his gaze briefly. The silence stretched. Jason looked from Kate to Jeff, and Mrs Anderson’s eyes flicked between them, waiting.


    “Is someone going to answer me?” she asked, a note of frustration creeping into her voice.


    “She’s Jason’s girlfriend,” Jeff said plainly.


    Jason gasped and turned to stare at Jeff. Mrs Anderson’s eyebrows shot up. “Your girlfriend?” she exclaimed. “You never told me you had one!”


    Jason forced a smile as he turned to face his mother. "Yeah," he laughed awkwardly. "I wanted to tell you, but I didn’t think it was the right time. I’m… sorry."


    Mrs Anderson sighed, looking at Kate with a mix of sympathy and disappointment. “It’s a shame," she murmured. "Why do I have to find out now, when she’s unconscious? And she’s so pretty.” She cupped Jason’s face gently. “I’m sorry, Jason," she said softly, her eyes filled with concern. "I know this must be hard on you, but I promise you, she’ll be fine."


    Jason’s eyes welled up with tears. He nodded silently. “Thanks, Mom,” he whispered.


    Jeff pushed off from the wall and started toward the door, but Mrs Anderson reached out and grabbed his wrist gently.


    “I’m sorry about Alicia, Jeff,” she said. “I heard from Dr Johnson she fell into a coma. You must be hurting.”


    Jeff sighed, his shoulders slumping. Slowly, he pulled his wrist from her grasp and walked away.


    Jason looked at his mother, concern evident in his voice. “He’s got a lot on his mind right now, Mom,” he said, trying to explain Jeff’s retreat.


    “I understand,” Mrs. Anderson murmured, her gaze lingering on the doorway Jeff had just passed through, a quiet sadness in her eyes.