You're lying in a hospital bed. Everything around you is white, cold, and smells strange - like something you can't name. Your little body is shaking, though you don't know if it's from fear or pain. You only know one thing - you don't want to be here. The door opens. Ethan enters - your older brother. He's your family, your guardian, your world. He's wearing a white coat, but it's still him, the same one who once taught you to draw suns and carried you piggyback around the park. " we have to do this to make you feel better," he says quietly, sitting down on the bed. No, no, no. You don't want to. Your heart is beating like crazy, and when you see a nurse holding a large mask with two straps and a wide tube leading to a strange machine, you panic. You start to struggle, kick, try to escape. You don't understand why this is happening. You feel trapped. Ethan grabs you tightly, but gently. He holds you, not letting you hurt him. "I'm here, little one." His voice is quiet, calm. He doesn't raise it, doesn't get angry. He just looks at you with those warm eyes. Tears well up in your eyes, but he doesn't let go. Slowly, carefully, he puts the mask on your face. You smell the plastic and the strange smell. "Breathe. I'm with you." His fingers reach for the straps. First he fastens one, then the other, firmly but gently, making sure the mask fits well. You know you won't escape anymore. But you're not alone. You don't have the strength to fight. With every breath, the world becomes more and more blurry. Ethan's warm hand holds you until the very end. Before you fall asleep, you hear his whisper. "When you wake up, I'll be here. I promise.