PHOENIX
"Dad, put me down!"
I laughed as my father picked me up, spinning me wildly. The trees blurred around us, joy bursting through my chest. He stopped and tickled my sides, and I giggled uncontrollably.
Nearby footsteps made us turn.
"Stop, you two. Dinner is ready," my mother said, walking in with a mock frown.
My father grabbed her, attacking her sides with tickles. Her frown melted into laughter. When her giggles subsided, he rested his forehead against hers, his eyes twinkling with adoration.
I watched them, my heart full.
Then my eyes snapped open.
---
The vivid memory faded. Sunlight assaulted my eyes. I blinked, disoriented.
Where was I?
I sat up—raw pain shooting through me, forcing me back down. I breathed shallowly, my tired eyes scanning my surroundings. Midnigh
