That evening, following my parents' departure, I experienced a visit that caught my curiosity. The nurse had just closed the door, ensuring I was alone in my room. I took the Godmother's Pen in my hands, examining its golden designs and noticing the dial was still set at 989. It was in this moment of observation that the door began to creak open, and the silhouette of a child quietly made its way into the room.

As the door shut, a whisper cut through the silence. "Samuel?"

I immediately recognized the voice—it was Jonah, the boy I had met earlier.

"You're not supposed to be here. You're going to get us in trouble."

"Don't worry, I've thought this through. Nobody will notice."

He made his way around the bed and took a seat next to me. "Sorry about how Ashley acted earlier. She's usually the one in the spotlight, so she probably felt threatened by you."

I never took her attitude as offensive, but I did notice her demanding personality. "No worries, I didn't take it personally."

"Your name is already in the middle bed of our room. Tomorrow you will be sharing the same space with us. "

"What happened to the last kid sharing your room."

Jonah's expression turned serious for a moment as he drew his finger slowly across his throat, signaling something grim. However, he quickly erupted into laughter, dispelling the tension. "She got transferred to another room. A girl named Amanda. Rumor has it she was moved because her condition got worse. I think it's almost the end of the road for her."

"She can't be cured?" I asked.

"From what I've seen, when they start moving you around a lot, you eventually just disappear. And you? What's wrong with you? Why are you here?"

"I don't know. I lose strength faster than others; I can't walk long distances. The diagnostic is in a yellow envelope. And to be honest I don't want to read it."

"I can help you. I see you have a wheelchair; I can be your driver around the village."

"That would be cool."

"The nurses here are pretty cool. Some are stricter than others, but overall, they're good people. There's one nurse I particularly like. Do you have a favorite?"

"To me, they've all been the same—very attentive and caring," I said.

"Not all of them are the same, though," Jonah hinted with a mysterious tone. "I've heard there's one nurse here who is actually an angel."

Jonah's comment sparked my interest, given that I hadn't come across anyone else who appeared to know about the Godmother. He leaned in closer, lowering his voice to a whisper, "She has magical powers."

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"Magical powers? What do you mean?"

"She has a pen that can make dreams come true."

I immediately realized he was talking about the very pen I had tucked away under my pillow. Yet, I chose to keep quiet about it, not wanting to divulge any specifics. His knowledge of the pen suggested that my experiences with the Godmother weren't unique to me alone.

"How do you know about all this?"

"I've heard Amanda talk a lot about an angel that plays with the kids in the village. She mentioned playing pretend games with a particular nurse she called 'The Godmother.' I'm telling you, I've seen Amanda giggling and talking to herself in her cubie as if someone were there with her. I think Amanda was really sick because she was always alone."

"That sounds like a fairytale to me."

"You have to believe me! it's the truth! If we're going to be bunk buddies, we need to make a pact of honesty. Promise me, if you ever get the pen from the angel, you'll save a wish for me."

Unable to keep the secret any longer, I felt compelled to reveal the pen to him. I reached under my pillow and pulled out the special artifact the Godmother had given me. "Here, see? It's real."

Jonah stared at me, his expression turning to one of confusion. "What are you trying to show me? There's nothing in your hand."

In that instant, I grasped the real truth: Jonah's journey was not as near its end as mine. It seemed that only those children nearing their time of departure could really see the artifact. I did not know about Jonah's specific condition or the reasons for his stay in the village.

"Nothing, I was just pretending," I quickly covered, attempting to maintain the mystery. "I meant to say I'll show it to you when I actually find it."

"Oh, that's cool," Jonah responded with a laugh, brushing off the odd moment.

Then, a soft whisper reached my ears, "It is not his time. He cannot see me yet." Glancing over, I saw the Godmother had materialized behind Jonah, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder. She closed her eyes and slowly shook her head from side to side, signaling that it might be wise to conclude our conversation.

"Well, I think you should head back to your room. They might think you have escaped."

The Godmother gave a warm smile, and with a simple snap of her fingers, Jonah's eyelids began to drop as sleep overcame him.

"I feel tired too. I will see you tomorrow when the nurses move you into our room. Don't forget your promise, we are bunk buddies now."

Without notice, the door swung open, and a nurse from the village stepped inside, spotting Jonah immediately. "Jonah! How many times have to tell you, that everyone needs to follow the rules?"

"I just wanted to visit Sam. He will be at our village tomorrow."

The nurse crosses her hands and frowns. "Well? Are you done? It's past your curfew."

"Well, let me ask Samuel one last question."

"Hurry up. I am already in trouble with the coordinator by finding you here in the hospital."

Jonah made his way over to my bed, stopping just in front of it. "Instead of waiting for them to bring you over, I'd like to come and escort you into the village myself, if that's okay with you."

His offer caught me off guard, and while I was uncertain about his motives, I was not inclined to turn down the gesture of friendship. "Sure, I'll wait for you."

As the nurse led Jonah out, she closed my room's door, pausing just before it shut completely to say, "Good night, Sammy."

Left alone once again, I reflected on Jonah's unexpected visit. The mystery of his presence in the village, coupled with his inability to see the Godmother, intrigued me deeply. Perhaps it meant he had more time ahead of him, maybe his condition wasn't as dire as mine. For the moment, I decided to focus on the positive, looking forward to the new adventures and friendships that awaited me in this intriguing place.