Chapter 3 Nakia
Nakia drifted into consciousness, aware of the soft pings of machines and the low thrum of the heating system. She was warm, in a soft bed, and she could see mountains from the window.
Mountains. She was so far from home. Lying in the hospital bed, Nakia watched the sunlight move over the gray and white mountain face. The view was gorgeous, but it made her miss the wide-open skies of home.
Clear head for the first time in forever, the clouded, sticky haze had vanished, but a bone-deep exhaustion remained.
And then she remembered.
Nakia struggled to sit up, aware of the IV line attached to her arm. She stared at her legs. Or rather, where her legs should be.
Under the blanket, the shape of her loss was obvious. Her right leg just stopped at the knee. It looked surreal,
