Guilt

Callie was drenched from head to toe, strands of her hair sticking to her forehead. She was still wearing the same white lab coat she had on that morning, now smudged with dirt and bits of grass, and thoroughly soaked by the rain. Concerned, Wendy hurriedly made her way outside. ‘Callie, what are you doing out here? You’ll catch a cold!’ she called out, but Callie seemed oblivious to her surroundings. Her face was ghostly pale, her eyes open but distant, as if lost in a world of her own. Ignoring the rain pouring down on her, Wendy rushed towards Callie. ‘Callie, it’s me, Wendy! Snap out of it!’ she exclaimed, grabbing Callie’s shoulders and shaking her gently. But Callie’s eyes remained glazed over, and she didn’t respond. With growing worry, Wendy noticed a cut on the sole of Callie’s right foot, but she seemed completely unaffected by the pain. Barefoot and disoriented, Callie continued to wander aimlessly in the rain. ‘Callie, please, come back to us,’ Wendy pleaded, her voice ting