Sarah came into the little room with a green paper folder under her arm and a penlight clipped to her white pocket.

She pulled a folding metal chair out from the wall and sat facing the bed.

“Your vitals have been perfectly steady for four hours,” Sarah said.

She took off her reading glasses and looked Emily directly in the eye.

“Your lungs are clear, and there’s no deep swelling in the skin around your neck.

I’m signing your official discharge papers for eight o’clock tomorrow morning.”

Emily let her hands lie loosely on top of the thin cotton blanket, her sleeves sitting naturally at her wrists instead of being pulled down.