Chapter 1
Pain. That’s the first thing I feel as I slowly awaken. It seems to be everywhere, throbbing and persistent. Did I sleep on the wrong side of the bed? No, this pain is far too intense for that. As I try to open my eyes, a bright light stings them, forcing me to shut them again. I groan in discomfort and attempt to move my hand to rub my eyes, but I can’t seem to find the energy to do so.
“Meera?” I hear a deep voice calling my name. I groan in response, my throat feeling incredibly dry.
“Hold on, sweetie. I’ll call the doctor.”
I try to open my eyes again, but all I can see is white walls and ceiling. The entire room is blurry, and I can’t make out any details other than the colors. I see people moving around, but I can’t see their faces, only their vague figures.
“I see that you’re already awake, Mrs. Ochea. We’ll just run a few checks on you.” Mrs. Ochea? That doesn’t sound right. As far as I can remember, I’m a Knight, not an Ochea.
“Doc, I’m confused,” I say, trying to look at the man I assume is the doctor through my blurry vision.
“You’ve been in a coma for a month. It’s normal to be confused. Can you see clearly?” Wait, what? A coma? For a month?
Before I have the chance to respond, a man approaches me and puts glasses on my face. The sudden change in my sight makes me squint, and I blink a few times to adjust. The glasses are thick, and I don’t remember needing such a strong prescription.
“Can you see better now, ma’am?” I nod as I look around the room. There are so many beeping machines attached to me, an IV in my arm, and bruises all over my arms. I can’t move my head much.
“Water,” I ask, my throat feeling like sandpaper. They give me a glass, and I drink it quickly. The doctor stops me, telling me to drink more slowly, so I comply.
“I’m so confused. What happened to me?”
“Well, a drunk driver hit you. Don’t worry, he’s in jail now.” A man with a deep voice says. I look at him closely. He seems very familiar, but I can’t place him.
“Vincent? What are you doing here?” I say, and his expression changes.
“What did you just call me, sweetie?”
“Why are you calling me sweetie? Where’s Ray? Why isn’t he here? Where's my mom?”
My breathing quickens, and I feel my hands start to shake. I clutch my head, trying to ease the sudden pain that seems to be growing by the second. I scream, but it does nothing to lessen the pain. The nurses try to hold me down while the doctor injects me with something. I scream even louder as I feel the medicine burning inside me. Then, everything starts to go blurry, and I feel myself slipping away.
“Meera, stay strong, please,” I hear Vincent’s voice say, but it’s muffled, as if he’s speaking to me from a great distance.
