"Milo—!" she called, her voice tight, cutting through the soft drums and bursts of laughter that seemed far too loud now. She didn’t care if people turned to stare—she didn’t even care if Karl noticed yet. All she saw was Milo, standing there in the circle of dancers, his body looking so fragile under the glow of the holy flames behind him.
Milo’s lips were curved in that same inocent smile. Always trying to make it look like he was fine. Always pushing himself to keep up. But Ruby could see his fingers trembling where they gripped Karl’s sleeve. His chest rose and fell in short, uneven breaths that made her own heart clench painfully tight.
She moved fast, weaving through the dancing villagers, ignoring the startled looks and soft gasp.
"Milo!" she called again, more firmly this time.
His eyes fluttered open for a second—warm brown and glassy under the flickering firelight. He looked at her like he wanted to say something. Like he wanted to promise her he was okay.
But the words never came. His knees buckled forward just as Karl, still clueless, spun him too fast once more.
Ruby lunged forward. She caught him before he could hit the ground, her arms locking around his shoulders, pulling him into her. She could feel how fast his heart was pounding too fast, too shallow.
"Milo... look at me," she said, voice fierce and trembling all at once. She brushed his hair away from his forehead, her own breath catching. "Stay awake. Stay with me."
Karl finally realized something was wrong, his laughter cutting off sharply as he saw Milo leaning limp against Ruby’s chest.
The music faded, the drums slowed. The fire still burned bright behind them, holy and warm.
"Healer Willam! Healer Willam! Over here—someone’s not well!" someone’s voice called out sharply through the murmurs of the worried crowd.
Ruby looked up, relief and fear crashing together in her chest when she saw the healer pushing his way through the circle of villagers. His long robes brushed against the petals scattered on the ground as he hurried over.
Thank goodness he was here tonight—if not...
A few quick-thinking villagers brought over a woven mat and carefully laid it down. With gentle hands, Ruby and Karl helped ease Milo down onto it, his soft hair falling over his closed eyes. His skin looked so pale under the lights, his lips parted as if he was still trying to catch his breath.
"Everyone, step back—give him air!" Healer Willam ordered firmly, his voice strong enough to part the circle. The villagers shuffled back, forming a respectful gap while the drums and music fell into a tense hush.
Willam crouched beside Milo, two fingers pressed against the side of his neck. His brow furrowed deeply, lines appearing on his tired face as he counted Milo’s weak pulse.
Ruby knelt right beside him, holding her breath. Karl sniffled noisily behind her, tears rolling down his cheeks. Julian stood frozen, eyes locked on Milo, hands fisting at his sides. Adrian’s face was stiff, so still he looked carved from stone.
Finally, the healer exhaled slowly. "He’s had a stroke."
Ruby felt the words crash through her chest like ice. Her mouth went dry. "A—stroke?"
Willam nodded gravely. "I strongly suggest you take him to the large hospital in town. They’ll need to do a full scan—use the Soul Scan machine to see what’s happening inside." His eyes softened a fraction as he looked at her. "Go quickly. Time matters."
Ruby’s hands shook around the edges of her robe. She turned and caught Julian’s eyes—red and glassy as he looked down at Milo’s pale, gentle face.
Karl dropped to his knees beside Milo’s legs, grabbing his limp hand with fat tears rolling down his face. "Milo, you dummy—wake up, okay? We’ll watch movies together—Soulstream too—I promise! Please..."
Adrian moved closer, his shadow falling over them, but he couldn’t even speak. He only stared at Milo, his jaw locked so tight it trembled.
Ruby swallowed down the lump in her throat. "I’ll get the car." Her voice cracked, but she forced her legs to move.
She sprinted through the crowd to her home, heart pounding in her ears as she brought her car down and parked it as close to the circle as she could.
A few villagers rushed to help her, lifting Milo carefully and carrying him into the backseat.
Julian climbed in after him, his eyes red as he settled Milo’s head gently on his lap, brushing the hair from his forehead again and again. "It’s okay... you’ll be fine. Stay with me... okay?" he whispered, his voice barely holding steady.
Ruby gripped the steering wheel so tight her knuckles turned white. She glanced in the mirror—Karl and Adrian stood side by side under the festival lights, faces drawn and pale. She leaned out the window. "Adrian, Karl—you two stay home. Wait for my call."
Karl opened his mouth to protest, but the words got stuck behind a sob. Adrian just nodded once, jaw still clenched.
Ruby turned back to the road, eyes burning but steady. She looked at Julian, who hadn’t looked up from Milo’s face once.
The car rolled forward into the dark in the sky.
When they finally reached the town market, the streets were quieter than usual—most of the festival lanterns had already gone out. Ruby’s hands were trembling slightly on the steering wheel, but her mind stayed sharp. She knew this place well enough she had come here so many times that she could find the hospital blindfolded if she had to.
Good thing, too. The town hospital was open until midnight, and the warm yellow sign above the gate glowed like a beacon in the darkness.
Ruby guided the skycar down to a smooth landing at the entrance. The engines let out a low whir as it settled onto the gravel, scattering pebbles in every direction.
She and Julian moved on pure instinct—no words, just the desperate rush of getting Milo out as gently as they could. Julian’s arms were strong but shaky as he slid out of the backseat, cradling Milo’s head against his chest. His eyes were still red, his jaw tight as he blinked fast, refusing to let a tear fall on Milo’s soft hair.
—To be continued...🪄