The Strike

Isabella sat on the stiff hospital chair, the screen of her phone illuminated with an image of their happier times, a stark contrast to the current tense atmosphere. Her fingers traced the edges of a particularly cherished photo, just before the return of Emerald, with her parents hugging her from both sides as she stood betweent hem with a wide smile on her face. How long had it been since she had seen her mother smile openly like that or her father look at her with that soft gaze?