The hospital’s fluorescent lights flickered above Kimberly as she lay on the examination table, her vision blurred and her body weak. Nurses bustled around her, whispering in tones that carried a mix of concern and disbelief. Dr. Reynolds, a kind-eyed woman with decades of experience, approached Kimberly with a gentle yet firm demeanor.
“Kimberly, can you tell me when you last had a meal?” she asked, her voice measured, trying not to startle the fragile girl before her.
