155: Unintended Guardian

The evening had unfolded with unexpected drama for Emma as she discovered a man, battered and unconscious, near her property. Hesitation gave way to concern at the sight of his injuries. Kneeling beside him, she shook his shoulder gently. "Hey, can you hear me?" she asked, her voice tinged with worry. The man's silence, punctuated by his shallow breaths, prompted Emma to act swiftly, her phone call summoning the ambulance with urgent details. As the paramedics took charge, Emma found herself accompanying the stranger to the hospital, driven by a sense of responsibility she couldn't shake off. The fluorescent lights of the hospital felt stark against the night's backdrop, casting long shadows as Emma followed the stretcher, her thoughts a whirlwind of concern for the unknown man. The diagnosis was a relief; the wounds were manageable, but the mention of a tumor by the attending physician added a gravity Emma hadn't anticipated. "We recommend hospitalization, but we need fami