Blaze woke with a start, his heart pounding against his ribcage as if trying to break free. He lay there for a few moments, staring up at the ceiling, willing his breath to slow. The room around him was eerily quiet, too quiet. He turned his head to the side, glancing at the clock on his bedside table. 6:45 a.m.
Groaning, Blaze ran a hand through his disheveled hair and sat up. His room was dimly lit by the morning light peeking through the curtains, casting soft shadows on the walls. The bed beside him was empty, just like it had been for weeks now. The sense of loneliness clung to him, wrapping around his chest in a suffocating grip, but he shook it off.
He couldn’t afford to dwell on that, not today.
Throwing the blanket off, Blaze swung his legs over the edge of the bed and stood, s
