Central Hospital (Caracas, Venezuela)

Glaring, fluorescent lights rushed above me as the paramedics pushed my gurney through the hospital's hallways. We stopped in front of an elevator and I watched a couple of uniformed policemen talking to a funny-looking old man. Fair-skinned, the man sported a long beard, was wearing a tunic and had perched on his head a pointed hat. He looked at me and smiled as if he knew me. I darted my eyes away and asked the paramedic about my brother and father.

"How are they?"

"Your brother is in intensive care and a doctor is checking your dad right now" he answered me with a grim look.

I was exhausted, both emotionally and physically. I couldn't feel my right arm and I lay down on the gurney, closing my eyes and wishing with all my heart to wake up from this nightmare. I didn't even realize when I fell asleep.