The hospital corridor still smelled faintly of disinfectant and late night panic when they finally wheeled Anne out.Derek held the wheelchair handles carefully, moving at a steady pace as though any sudden motion might break her further. Anne sat wrapped in a light hospital blanket, her body still weak but no longer burning with fever. Her hair had been tied back loosely by Jasmine, though strands still fell across her face in uneven pieces.Jasmine walked on her right side, clutching Anne’s bag. Kelsey stayed close on the left, occasionally leaning in to check her breathing out of habit. Yvette followed behind them, quieter than usual, eyes still heavy with guilt.Orson walked a few steps back, hands in his hoodie pockets, not inserting himself into the cluster but not leaving either.They moved toward the exit slowly, and there he was. John Moore sat near the waiting area, posture rigid as though he had been there the entire time without moving. The moment his eyes landed on her, h
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