Callie’s Suffering

In the infirmary, Callie sat in an armchair with an IV drip in the back of her hand. A series of coughs racked her body, her face flushed with fever. Wendy helped Callie hang the IV bag, silently berating herself for what she’d said earlier. Callie had been perfectly fine, but Wendy had instigated this situation by falsely claiming Callie’s temperature was on the rise. Now, the lie had become a harsh reality, and Callie was truly unwell. Callie’s head throbbed, and dizziness washed over her. Her sore throat felt like it had been sliced by a knife, causing her immense pain. She had no desire to speak, so she leaned her head back against the chair, tears slipping from the corners of her eyes. Watching Callie’s silent suffering, Wendy’s self-blame transformed into deep concern. She immediately knelt beside Callie and asked, ‘Callie, what’s wrong? Are you in pain?’ It hurt—her head ached, her throat throbbed, but nothing compared to the pain in her heart. In the past, she’d never been one