Chapter 4 - A Spark in the Dark
William invited Leo to sit on the small couch inside the room. For the first time in three months, William found himself speaking not about brain scans or corporate votes, but about Grace’s favorite books, her laughter, and the way she loved painting yellow sunflowers.
Leo listened intently, sharing stories of his own school projects and how his mother worked two jobs to keep their small apartment warm.
As the sun began to dip, filling the room with a pale orange light, a soft, rhythmic sound broke their conversation.
Beep. Beep. Beep-beep.
The heart monitor’s cadence shifted.
William snapped his head toward the display. The steady line of brain wave activity on the secondary monitor—usually flat and erratic—formed a sharp, distinct curve.
"Grace?" William rushed to the bedside.
Grace’s fingers, which had been motionless for ninety-three days, tightened slightly around Leo’s wooden bead. Her eyelids fluttered, straining against the heavy sleep that held her captive.
"Dr. Harrison!" William yelled into the corridor, his voice echoing off the tile walls. "Get in here! Now!"
Nurses and doctors rushed into the room, pushing equipment and shining lights into Grace’s eyes. Leo backed away into the corner, wide-eyed, watching the flurry of activity.
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Dr. Harrison checked her pupils, his hands shaking slightly. "Her pupillary response has changed. There’s conscious motor activity in her fingers... William, this shouldn't be happening."
William didn't care about the science. He looked at Grace, whose eyes opened just a fraction—a sliver of bright blue looking straight past the doctors, directly toward the young boy standing in the corner.
