Darkness lifted slowly, pulling Mattew back into awareness in fragments. His body felt heavy, like it had been filled with lead, and a steady beeping sound echoed somewhere close by. His eyes opened with effort, and the white ceiling of a hospital room came into view.
He turned his head slightly and saw Alistair sitting beside him. She was in a chair with her arms folded tightly, watching him with a mix of relief and annoyance, as if she had been holding herself together for a long time.
Mattew tried to sit up, but she immediately leaned forward and pressed him back down.
“Don’t even think about it,” she said firmly, keeping her hand on his shoulder. “The doctors already said you need complete rest. You are not moving anywhere.”
He exhaled slowly and sank back into the pillow, acceptin
