Rhian groaned. His body felt like he had been hit by a truck, then woke up instantly, then run over by another. Then another. Then another.
Everything ached in a way that blurred the line between pain and numbness. It was like his body couldn't decide whether to scream or shut down.
He couldn't open his eyes. They felt too heavy to lift, stuck closed like something was weighing them down.
So he was left in darkness, unable to tell what was around him. There was no sound, no air moving, nothing familiar to grab onto.
He tried moving. His arms wouldn't lift. His legs didn't respond. His fingers barely twitched. Breathing was possible, but even that came with effort.
He felt stuck in his own body, as if he was wrapped in invisible chains that held him down.
His thoughts started pulling things together. Slowly. The last thing he remembered was the platform, the pile of cores, and the desperation.
