Chapter 157

I got up in the dark to pour myself a glass of water and took medicine. Mom's bedroom door was closed. She was still asleep at this time. There was a note on the fridge which had her usual reminder. "I saved some food for you. Don't forget to heat it in the microwave." I opened the fridge and found two untouched plates placed neatly inside. The sound of the microwave rang out in the kitchen. The aroma of Mom's cooking would usually arouse my appetite, but today, the food tasted bland in my mouth. I forced down a few bites before cleaning up the dishes. My phone buzzed in my pocket. I quickly checked the text, and it was from Connor, just as I had expected. The man in the video was dressed in a hospital gown. His eyes were closed, and half of his face was covered by an oxygen mask. Tubes had been inserted into his body. Connor's caption read, "The institute has started using their latest treatment method. His vital signs are stable for now, but there are no signs of him waking