The door clicked shut, leaving the three of us alone in the sterile room.

The harsh chemical smell of antiseptic floor cleaner seemed to settle heavily over the bed.

Richard walked over to the foot of my bed and gripped the white plastic railing.

He looked straight at me with a perfectly calm, untroubled expression.

“You have to understand the simple math, Hannah,” Richard said.

I gripped the cotton sheet until my knuckles went pale and my fingernails bit into my palm.

“What math?” I asked.