Chapter 4

Pain crashed over me like a tidal wave, swallowing me whole.

"Grandma died. It's just me now," I said.

Suddenly, my vision blurred, and the world faded to black.

Samuel never thought so much would have happened in the three years he was gone.

He'd never seen me this devastated before. His heart clenched painfully.

*****

When I came to again, I was lying in a hospital bed.

The doctor explained, "You got so worked up and started hyperventilating, which led to respiratory alkalosis and made you pass out.

"Plus, with how malnourished you are, your body just couldn't handle…