EVE

The chill of the sterile room had been Eve’s constant companion for fourteen years. White walls, purified air, and the rhythmic hum of medical equipment were the only sounds that filled her existence. Today, however, was different. Dr. Kahled, with his silver hair and the usual tin of pills, stood on the other side of the glass, his expression a mixture of professional calm and underlying worry. Eve took her five multi-colored tablets, washing them down with filtered water, a routine ingrained into her very being.

“Your parents are well,” the doctor’s voice crackled through the intercom, “preparing for the annual hunt.” Eve nodded, her gaze drifting to the empty room beyond her window, a yearning in her heart for a world she only knew through stories.

Later, the vibrant energy of Gemma, her best friend, filled the adjacent room. Gemma, a whirlwind of exasperated sighs and infectious laughter, ranted about the lack of a mobile phone. Eve, though confined, found solace and connection in their shared jokes and Gemma’s vivid descriptions of a life Eve could only dream of.

“One day,” Gemma promised, her hand pressed against the cold glass opposite Eve’s, “I will take you everywhere. To Mora’s for a double sundae, shopping, the cinema… and then, I’ll show you my wolf.” Eve’s chest tightened with a mixture of excitement and a familiar, painful pinch. The dream felt impossibly close, yet impossibly far.