The Heart That’s Fading 

First-Person POV — Julia

The hallway outside my father's room felt colder than the rest of the hospital. Maybe it was the fluorescent lights. Maybe it was the fear squeezing my lungs. Or maybe it was the two men standing on either side of the doorway, both refusing to leave me alone, both refusing to look away.

Alan stood stiffly to my right, arms crossed, jaw clenched so tightly I could see the muscle twitch.Kai was on my left, holding the bouquet of lilies like he was afraid they'd fall apart