Rosemary The heavy fog in my brain slowly began to lift. It was like clawing my way out of a deep, suffocating pit, but eventually, I found my way back to consciousness. My body felt weak, like I had been wrung out and left to dry. My throat felt raw, as if I had swallowed sand, and when I tried to speak, no sound came out. My eyelids fluttered open, but the light was too bright, stabbing into my eyes, forcing me to shut them again. I tried again, this time more slowly. As my vision cleared, I saw him - Ethan. He was sitting in a chair right next to the bed, his head resting on the edge of the mattress. His face was peaceful, his chest rising and falling softly as he slept. A faint snore escaped his lips. Even in sleep, he looked so protective, so close. I didn’t want to wake him, but I

