In. Out. In. Out.
My eyes flash open, bright lights streaming into them and blinding me. Blurred shapes spun in circles, whirling and twirling as if they were performing a dance only they knew.
“Gloria!” A female voice shouted. “Can you hear me?”
I blink again, and my muscles scream as I turn my head a fraction of an inch. Warm amber eyes instantly envelop me in their concerned gaze. “Hey. You’re awake.” The girl who was a small distance away said softly. Her voice had a lilt to it, as if she was singing every time she talked. I blinked again, the moment of blindness fading quickly. The girl touched my cheek, and an electric shock ran through me. Clarity stormed into my mind, and suddenly, I became aware of my surroundings. I was trapped, bands around my wrists, legs, neck, and abdomen restraining me to the table. Monitors blinked, and the lights dimmed as the clinking of metal reached my ears. It was so cold in the room, and I was tempted to ask the girl to turn up the heat. But she grabbed my chin, none to gently, forcing me to return my gaze to her eyes. “You have to come. You’re the only one left.” she said, her voice shaking. My mouth formed words, but none came out. “You’re the only one who can save us. Don’t you remember?”
I coughed, a harsh sound that made her eyes flicker with worry. “Who are you?”
The room began to fade, and I could feel the tiredness sinking into my bones. She shook my shoulders frantically, but I couldn’t feel the jolt that it should have given me. “Gloria, listen to me! There’s not much time!” A scuffling noise erupted to my right, and her eyes darted that way. “They’re coming, Gloria.” She looked back at me, her eyes full of hidden grief. “You have to remember.”
Her voice was already fading into a mumbling noise, and my eyelids slowly slid shut as darkness claimed me.
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