Madelyn's emotions were a tangle of confusion and dread as she pushed through the door into the sterile hospital room. The sharp scent of disinfectant assailed her senses, heightening her unease.

The moment the door swung open, she saw a man lying on the hospital bed, his face obscured by a respiratory mask. He was emaciated, still in a coma. His hand bore a large, discolored patch of burned skin. He seemed devoid of any signs of healthy flesh.

If Madelyn hadn't known that the man before her w