Chapter Thirty Five

Ryke sat on a bench outside the hospital, his gaze fixed on the ground, lost in his thoughts. He couldn't shake the guilt that had settled in the pit of his stomach. He replayed the events in his mind, wondering if there was anything he could have done differently to prevent Christian from getting hurt.

As he sat there, deep in his contemplation, the soft sound of footsteps approached. Ryke glanced up to see Crystal walking towards him. She had a concerned look on her face, mirroring the worry that had been etched on all their faces in the hospital room.

Crystal settled down beside Ryke on the bench, and they both sat there in silence for a while.

Finally, Crystal broke the silence, her voice gentle as she said, "Penny for your thoughts?"

Ryke turned to look at her, his eyes filled with a mixture of sadness and guilt. He didn't respond immediately, but his silence spoke volumes.

Crystal sighed, her gaze shifting to the hospital building. "I guess we'll just sit in silence then."

More