Arthur tried to stand, the wires pulling taut like leashes.
Sarah caught him just as his knees buckled. "You’ll collapse, Arthur!" she warned, guiding him back to the bed.
The alarms were rising, a chorus of mechanical concern. Arthur lay back, his breath ragged.
"I was holding her hand," he said, his eyes unfocused. "Then it went cold. It was the coldest thing I’ve ever felt. And I’ve been freezing ever since."
"Sarah took his hand, squeezing it with all the warmth she could muster. "I'm holding yours now, Arthur. And it's warm. Can you feel it?""
He nodded slowly, a small, fragile gesture. "It's... it's a start," he murmured.