Liora woke up again to a heavy, suffocating feeling. She groaned lowly, her throat dry and cracked, as she realized even moving a single finger was a struggle. It felt like her entire body had been battered and bruised, leaving not a single place untouched by pain.
Her lips parted, and a hoarse, broken voice squeezed out.
"Water..."
It was more a scratch than a word. The roughness of her throat made even that small sound feel like it was tearing something raw inside her. She needed to drink. Anything to soothe the burning dryness in her throat.
Just as she struggled weakly, trying and failing to lift her arm, someone moved close. A small hand helped tilt a straw to her lips. Without hesitation, Liora latched onto it and drank greedily, desperate as if even a moment's delay would snatch the water away from her.
