The Sound of a Shattering World:
The walk back from the restaurant restroom felt like wading through deep, freezing water. Eliana's hands were still shaking as she tucked her phone away. The noise of the dining room—the clatter of plates, the forced laughter of happy couples—felt like an insult. How could the world keep spinning when her mother's heart was stopping?
She found herself standing by the kitchen pass, staring at a plate of jollof rice until the chef barked at her to move. She moved, but her mind was at the hospital in the village. She pictured her mother, Mrs. Okoro, lying on a thin mattress, her breathing labored, her skin losing its warmth. One million Naira. The number was a mountain, and Eliana was standing at the base with nothing but her bare hands. She spent the rest of her shift in a trance, dropping a fork, mixing up an order, and earning a sharp reprimand from the floor supervisor. For the first time, the threat of losing her job didn't scare her. There were bigger things to lose now.