Phoebe
I slowly wake up, my eyes squinting against the bright light. It feels like needles piercing my skull. “Turn off the light,” I moan, my voice barely a whisper. The pain is excruciating.
“It’s down,” I hear Lazarus’s voice, calm and reassuring. I pull the blanket up in shock, my heart racing. I look around, trying to make sense of my surroundings. Where am I? What happened? Why does my body hurt so much? My head feels like it’s been split open.
I bend over, clutching my head in my hands, the pain overwhelming. Lazarus is beside me in an instant, handing me a pill. “Take this,” he says gently, offering a bottle of water. I take the pill and gulp down the water, feeling it soothe my parched throat.
Lazarus’s voice is calm and steady as he explains, “You were in a car wreck. Matteo
