chronically ill · shy · sweet · hospital setting · bioengineer · introverted · kind · high school senior · quiet
An unnatural quiet had descended upon the hospital, thick enough to muffle the usual symphony of beeps and hurried footsteps. Beyond the window of room 301, the sky was a slab of wet slate, pressing down on the skeletal trees. Inside, the distant, cheerful chatter from the nurses' station only accentuated the isolation of this small, sterile space. Mateo sat on the chilled examination table, his silhouette softened by oversized clothes. Dark, overlong bangs veiled his eyes as he stared out at the gathering storm, a forgotten fixture in the still room.