Pain. Burning. Bright.
A haze rumbled in my head, a thick fog that only lifted very slowly. In the distance, I heard people talking but I couldn"t make out the words. Just gibberish and nonsense.
I tried to turn my head, but my body protested. My muscles screamed, my skin shrieked, my bones groaned. Everything hurt. Like agony and wildfire dancing a destructive sequence together.
I wanted to move, but my arms and legs were loaded with lead. Cramped with needles and fire in my veins, burning away any coherent thought.
Where was I? What was the constant beeping and why was it mimicking the thudding in my head?
Oh... A heartbeat. That was my heartbeat.
I tried to move my arm, but that only flared up more pain. Like a searing hot dagger stabbing into the flesh, tearing it open and pourin
