The first thing I noticed was the smell, clean, sharp, almost metallic. My eyelids fluttered open, and I blinked against the harsh white light illuminating the room. The ceiling above me was unfamiliar, and as I turned my head, I realized I was in what looked like a hospital room.
Only this wasn’t a normal hospital.
Beside me, a tall pole held a drip bag filled with bluish liquid, its color glowing faintly under the light. My gaze followed the tube connecting the bag to my arm, and my stomach dropped. The strange substance was flowing directly into my veins.
Panic surged through me. My heart pounded as I tried to sit up, my voice catching in my throat.
Then it hit me.
A sound escaped my lips. A real sound.
“Help!” I cried, my voice breaking but unmistakable.
I froze, stunned by my o
