Hours later, in the stark light of the ICU, the truth emerged.
The attending physician, Dr. Patel, explained gently: “Your daughter has a condition we call lethargic sleep — an extremely rare state where the body’s functions slow down so much, it can mimic death. Her pulse was so faint, her temperature so low… that the initial examination failed to detect it.”
Margaret stared at him in disbelief. “You’re saying… if I hadn’t…”
Dr. Patel nodded gravely. “If you hadn’t noticed, she would have been buried alive.”
Margaret’s knees wobbled, and Richard caught her before she could fall. The thought sent shivers through both of them.
