Chapter Four: The ER
Sofia Alarcon tied her hair back as the ambulance doors swung open. Another patient wheeled in. Another life in her hands.
“Male, late 50s, chest pains,” the paramedic said as Sofia and her team moved quickly to stabilize the man.
Sofia’s hands worked on autopilot, her mind calculating vitals and medications. She had been a nurse for ten years, and every shift was a whirlwind of crises and recoveries.
By the time the patient was stable, she was exhausted. She leaned against the wall, letting out a breath she didn’t realize she’d been holding.
“You okay?” one of her colleagues asked.
Sofia nodded. “Just another day.”
But as she walked back to the nurses’ station, she couldn’t shake the thought: Is this all there is?
Chapter Five: The Ripple
Claire left her letter for the man in the blue coat on the park bench, carefully tucking it under a small stone so it wouldn’t blow away.
Later that afternoon, Derek stopped by the park on his break. He sat on the bench to eat his sandwich and noticed the envelope. Curious, he picked it up and opened it.
Inside, he found a short note:
Dear Stranger,
I see you sitting here every week, and I wonder what stories you carry. Life can be heavy, but even on the hardest days, there’s beauty in the small things—a kind word, a smile, a sunset. I hope today holds something beautiful for you.
—A Friend
Derek folded the letter and slipped it into his pocket, feeling a warmth he hadn’t felt in months.
That evening, as he drove the boy with the guitar to his audition, he said, “You’re going to do great. You’ve got soul.”
And the boy, hearing the quiet conviction in Derek’s voice, walked into his audition with a little more confidence.
***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***
Download
Like this story? Download the app to keep your reading history.
Comments