Lindensighed,“Rightnow,onlytheShadowbloomandPhoenixwortcansaveher.“IfMr.Rhys can bring back those herbs in time, there is a greater chance for survival. But if hetakestoolong,I’mafraidthatglimmerofhopewoulddieout.”


    “Oh, Dustin! Where have you gone? Why aren’t you back yet?” Ruth was crying as she muttered toherself.She hadn’t told her parents about Natasha yet. She was afraid they wouldn’t be able to handle theshock.


    Suddenly, the door burst open with a loud bang. Following that, a bloodied Dustin staggered in with quick steps. He appeared quite disheveled.


    “Dr. Watkins!Ifoundit!Ifoundtheherb!”


    Dustinliftedhisshirtandcarefullytookoutackflowerthatwasemittingastrangeglow.


    “Youfoundit?”


    Lindentookacloserlookandgrewted.“ItreallyistheShadowbloom!Excellent…Thisis


    wonderful!”


    “Dr.Watkins,NatashacannowbesavedwiththisShadowbloom,right?”


    Dustinlookedhopeful.Hehadtradedthispreciousherbwithhislife.


    “Yes,butIwouldneedyourblood,too.”


    Lindenexined,“Duringyourprevioustreatment,yourbloodhadalreadyproducedtheantidote


    toResurgothorn.ItcanhelpbringMs.Harmonbacktoconsciousness.”


    “Noproblem!Howmuchblooddoyouneed?Takeasmuchasyouneed!”


    Withouthesitation,Dustinrolleduphissleeves.Hewas readytomakeacutonhisarm.


    “Wait!”Lindenstoppedhimimmediately.


    Solemnly,hetoldDustin,“Mr.Rhys,youhavesevereinjuriesrightnow.Youare alsolosingblood


    andenergy.Ifyoudonate bloodnow,yourbodywon’t beabletohandleit!


    “Icanendureit.It’sfine.Justsaveher!”Dustinurged.


    Lindenfrowned.“Mr.Rhys,areyousure?”


    Withhiskeenperceptiveness,hecouldtellthatDustinwasonthevergeofcopsing.


    Itwasalreadydifficultforhimtostandandtalk.Takingafewbowlsofbloodfromhimwouldonly


    makemattersworse.


    “Mr.Adler,bringmeabowl!”Dustindidn’twasteanymoretimeasheinstructedCornelius.


    Soon,Corneliusarrivedwithrgebowl.


    Withoutanotherword,Dustinmadeacutonhisarm.Freshbloodflowedout,filling thebowl.


    AsLindenwatchedhim,hismouthtwitched.Thiskidwasusuallycalm.Whywasheactingrecklesslyduringcriticalsituations?


    “Alrightthen,let’sgetstarted.”Lindendecidedtosavethewordsofcaution.From N?velDrama.Org.


    Oncethebowlwasfilledto thebrim,hepickeduptheShadowbloomandimmerseditinthebowl


    ofblood.


    Soon,astrangesceneunfolded.


    Uponcontact,theShadowbloomdissolved.Itlookedjustlikechoctemeltingasitmergedwith


    theblood.


    Astheflowerdissolved,theoncebrightredbloodturnedck.Inside,tinystarssparkled,


    radiatingafaint,mysteriousfragrance,


    Oncetheflowerwapletelydissolved,Lindentossedtwotabletsintothebowl.Afterstirring


    itslightly,hefedtheentirebowltoNatasha


    “Mr.Rhys,I’veadministeredthemedicine.Itnowdependsentirelyonhertowakeup.”Linden.


    sighedsoftly.


    Afterall,they werefightingtobringherbacktolife.EvenwiththeShadowbloom,hecouldn’t


    makeanabsoluteguaranteethatshecouldbesaved.


    Itwouldalldependonthepatient’sconditionandwillpower.


    “Natasha,stopsleeping.Please,wakeup.”Dustincradledherhandandpresseditonhischeek.


    Hetoldhergently,“Afteryouwakeup,I’llgoshoppingwithyou,I’lleatdinnerwithyou,I’llwatchmovieswithyou.Whereveryouwanttogo,I’llgowithyou.


    “Wakeup…Youmustwakeup.Ican’tbewithoutyou…”


    Timepassedbyslowly.


    Dustinkeptvigilbyherbedsidefromdusktonight,thenfromnighttodawn,nevergettinganyrest.Hejustsatthere,daybyday.


    Threedayter,Dustinfinallycouldn’thold onany longerandcopsednexttoher.