#Chapter 33: She Should Be Better By Now

Compared to the depths of the coliseum, the hospital is like a five-star hotel. The hospital bed is plush. The room is relatively private, with just a few doctors and nurses coming in and out now and then. They even give me food that tastes fresh, not moldy, and hot or cold water whenever I ask for it. As the hours and then days pass, Caleb stays far away from me. Once or twice I have seen him walk past the open door of my room, but never does he come in to see me. At least not while I’m awake. Sometimes when I wake from a nap I can scent him in the air, but it could be my imagination. I spend most of my time sleeping. Once, Tristan does come by to visit, though he doesn’t stay long. “I just wanted to see how you were feeling,” he says. “Tired,” I reply. I always feel tired lately. That’s probably part of the recovery process. Tristan frowns like something is bothering him. “What is it?” I ask. With Caleb I’d bite my tongue, but Tristan has always been the more approachab