Alexis
The world was a haze, reality a distant memory as I hovered in the liminal space between existence and oblivion. Pain throbbed through me like a heartbeat, but it was distant, muted by the comforting fog of unconsciousness. I could feel the warmth of my parents' presence nearby, their voices a soothing balm to the raw edges of my soul.
In this suspended state, dreams came easily, unbidden and full of whimsy. I saw myself as a puppy—a baby Sasha—tumbling in the lush green grass of our backyard, under the watchful eyes of Mom and Dad. They were laughing, their faces alight with joy as they watched me chase my tail, stumble over my oversized paws, and nip playfully at their hands. This was the childhood I should have had, the one stolen from me by my inability to shift.
I basked in
