Vivian’s head throbbed with a dull, relentless ache as her senses slowly returned. It was as if a heavy drum was pounding inside her skull, each beat sending ripples of discomfort through her body.
She let out a low groan, her eyes fluttering open only to squeeze shut again as the bright, sterile light overhead pierced her vision. The scent of antiseptic filled her nostrils, sharp and unmistakable. She inhaled shakily, her chest rising and falling as she fought against the wave of nausea threatening to overtake her.
With great effort, she cracked her eyes open again, this time keeping them in narrow slits. Everything around her seemed blurry and too bright, the world spinning slightly as she turned her head to take in her surroundings. The white walls, the faint hum of monitors, the beep
