The door closed softly behind her.

“Please have a seat,” the doctor said calmly, without looking up.

“Thank you.” Lea sat down, immediately feeling the cool air on her skin. She was wearing only her simple underwear now, just as she had been told outside. Her hands rested uncertainly on her thighs.

The doctor looked up. “Lea Hoffmann?”

“Yes.”

“Eighteen years old?”

“That’s right.”

He nodded briefly. “Good. Don’t worry, we’ll go through everything step by step.”

Lea nodded, even though she felt anything but relaxed.

“First, I’ll listen to your heart and lungs,” he explained matter-of-factly. “Just keep breathing normally.”

He picked up the stethoscope and stepped closer.

Lea flinched involuntarily as the cold metal touched her skin.

“Cold, I know,” he said calmly.

“A little…”

“Take a deep breath in.”

She did.

“And out.”

The stethoscope moved slowly across her chest.

“One more deep breath in.”

Lea focused on her breathing, trying to ignore the pounding of her heart, which suddenly seemed far too loud.

“You can breathe normally,” the doctor said. “Your heart sounds completely normal.”

He changed position, placing the stethoscope against her back.

“Now please lean forward, let your arms hang loosely.”

Lea followed the instruction.

“Deep breath in.”

“Like this?”

“Exactly. And out. Once more.”

He listened a moment longer, then stepped back again.

“Lungs are clear as well. Very good.”

Lea straightened up again and automatically pulled her shoulders slightly back, as if trying to make herself smaller.

The doctor noticed. “You can relax. This is a completely routine examination.”

“I know… it just feels strange.”

“A lot of people say that the first time.”

He sat down again and made a note.

“Have you had any breathing problems lately? Chest pain?”

“No.”

“Dizziness?”

“Neither.”

He nodded with satisfaction.

“Then we’ll do a few mobility tests. After that, we’re almost done.”

Lea let out a quiet breath, as if she had been unconsciously holding it the whole time.

“Everything okay so far?” he asked.

She hesitated briefly, then nodded. “Yes… it’s not as bad as I thought.”

A slight smile crossed his face. “Glad to hear it.”

He looked back at his tablet. “So far, everything looks very good, Ms. Hoffmann.”

Lea felt the tension slowly easing.

“Let’s continue,” he said calmly.