Tally sat down in the hospital cafeteria the next day. Ryan’s parents were with him now. Tally had been released from hospital early hours this morning. She had sat with Ryan all night, joining his parents in their vigil, watching over him.

They had taken turns reading to him and talking, even though he was in a drug-induced coma to help reduce the swelling on his brain. The police had been to see her last night, but Ryan's parents had chased them off, telling them now wasn’t the time to ...