Dani:
When I woke, the ache in my body was sharper than before, but sleeping had dulled the edge of my exhaustion. I blinked groggily, my eyes adjusting to the soft morning light filtering through the curtains.
For a moment, I just lay there, staring at the ceiling and letting the quiet of the house sink in.
Then, the events of the night before crashed back into my mind, and I felt the weight settle on my chest all over again.
I forced myself to sit up, wincing as the motion pulled at my ribs. The room felt colder than usual, or maybe it was just me. I glanced down at my clothes—still the same ones I’d worn during the attack, smeared with dirt, blood, and dust.
No wonder I felt awful.
I shuffled to the bathroom, careful not to look too closely at the mirror as I turned on the shower
