12

The pain of rejection can sting like no other, and that was exactly what I had experienced as I lay on the hard hospital bed.

My world had crumbled around me, and the only thing I could feel was a deep sense of despair. As I opened my eyes, I realized that I was no longer in the same place where I had collapsed; instead, I was in a small room, surrounded by white-washed walls and curious eyes of doctors and nurses.

My vision slowly came into focus, all the nurses filling the room coalescing into a single figure and I realized there was only a single nurse in the room. She was a kind looking older woman with gray hair pulled back in a bun, and bustled around the room, checking what I assumed were my vitals and administering medication

As soon as I tried to move, I could feel pain all over my body. It was a dull ache, but somehow managed to spread through every inch of my being. The light in the hospital room was stark, almost blinding, and I struggled to keep my eyes open.

The walls