When I finally came to, the world around me was a muffled haze. My head throbbed painfully, a dull, relentless ache that pulsed behind my eyes. I tried to move, but my body felt heavy, sluggish, as if weighed down by lead. I blinked, trying to clear the fog from my mind, but it only made the pain worse.
Gradually, the sounds around me came into focus—the low hum of the car’s engine, the rumble of tires on asphalt. We were moving, but I had no idea where we were or how long I’d been out. The realization sent a jolt of fear through me, but I forced it down, trying to think clearly.
I was still in the backseat, my hands bound tightly in front of me. I could feel the rough material biting into my wrists, the restraints so tight they cut off my circulation. My mouth was dry, and when I swallo
