─THERE WAS A LOUD BUZZ IN MY EARS. It felt like the distant hum of an old TV, growing quieter and quieter with each passing second. Slowly, I forced my eyes open, wincing at the sudden light. My vision was a haze, the world around me reduced to vague, swirling shapes. I blinked several times, each one being a little more clear until the familiar surroundings of our bedroom started to come into focus. The room was dimly lit, the curtains half-drawn, casting long shadows that danced across the floor.
I pushed myself up onto my elbows, my muscles protesting as if they hadn't been used in a while. My mind was sluggish, the details of what had happened before I woke up just out of reach. I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself as I tried to remember. Then, like a dam breaking, the memories came flooding back. Panic surged through me as I threw the many blankets off with a frantic motion, my heart pounding in my chest.
