The Islet Mystery 45

Inside an Intensive Care Unit, a man was lying down on a bed, attached to multiple beeping machines. In his mouth was an endotracheal tube,  attached to a mechanical ventilator. In his nose, a feeding tube for his oral medications and food. His intravenous fluids were hanging into two IV stands, its tubings passing through infusion pumps. There were no voices heard but the beeps and the pumping of the machines sounded like a call to the gates of Hades.

Mr. Te went inside the room, in his hands was a brown envelope. He glanced at the nurse and the latter cringed at his glare. "I need some privacy. I want to talk to my parents."

The nurse stood up and looked at the eye of Mrs. Yu who was sitting quietly by the bedside of her dying husband. Mrs. Yu understood what the nurse implied, so she nodded and the nurse went out right away.