Eric I woke up with a start, jerking upright in bed as the shrill beeping of my alarm finally pierced through my deep sleep. Cursing under my breath, I slammed my hand down on the nightstand, silencing the alarm with a groan. Rubbing the sleep from my eyes, I squinted at the numbers glowing in the dim light. 7:45am. I was already fifteen minutes behind schedule. “s**t…” Throwing off the tangled sheets, I swung my legs over the side of the mattress—only to freeze as a dull ache radiated through my muscles. It was a strange, unfamiliar sensation; one that actually gave me pause. When was the last time I had felt weary like this? With a frown, I pushed myself to my feet and made my way over to the bathroom, flicking on the light as I stepped inside. The face that star

