Chapter 12: Fate
"Bill."
The sound of his name jolted William from his daze. His eyes fluttered open, momentarily disoriented as the sterile white walls of the emergency room came into focus.
"Yeah," he grunted, dragging himself upright from the stiff hospital chair. "How did it go?"
Dr. Jacob Austin, clad in a white coat, adjusted his narrow glasses and flipped through the patient chart with practiced precision.
"Second-degree acid burns on the face and right hand. There will be permanent scarring, so plastic surgery will be necessary. The acid caused moderate damage to her corneas, leaving her temporarily blind. A corneal transplant is the only way to restore her vision. I've already added her to the waiting list.
Additionally, a high concentration of drugs was found in her bloodstream—consumed orally. It's too late for stomach pumping, so we've placed her on several IV drips to stabilize her condition. Apart from minor bruises and scratches from the fall, no other external injuries were detected."
As the doctor spoke, William's eyes remained fixed on the man's name tag: "Dr. Jacob Austin." The name echoed in his head, a strange detachment creeping over him as he struggled to process the weight of the words.
The silence stretched, heavy and suffocating.
William blinked several times before clearing his throat awkwardly. "Ahem... Were there... any internal injuries?"
Jacob arched his eyebrows slightly before shaking his head, offering William a somewhat reassuring look. "The gynecologist confirmed there are no signs of forceful penetration. It doesn't appear that she was assaulted."
"I see."