Death lingers in the shadows; silent, unseen, waiting. Rachel never imagined it would find her son, that she would be the one left standing, watching helplessly as he lay still, lifeless.
The room echoed with her sobs, the sound so broken, so hollow. She didn't know how to move, how to breathe. Her mind spun wildly, grasping at memories that cut through her heart.
She thought of the pain, the struggle of bringing him into the world—how her body had fought to keep him alive. The sleepless nights.
The hospital stays. She could still hear his first cries, feel the weight of his small body in her arms. Her mind raced further—his first bike ride, her hands steadying him, her cheers louder than the crowd on every game day. She was always there, his biggest fan, his protector.
And now... he
