*Runze's POV*
The dark isn't cold anymore.
It feels warm now, heavy and thick, like floating at the bottom of a deep, quiet pool where the rest of the world can't reach me.
Somewhere far above the water, a dull sound keeps repeating.
*Beep.*
*Beep.*
*Beep.*
The noise drifts into my mind, stays for a few seconds, and then fades back into nothingness.
Then come the voices. They are quiet, muffled whispers passing right above my head, sounding distant and detached from reality.
"...his blood pressure is stabilizing."
"...keep the monitors on low..."
"...don't wake him unless you absolutely have to."
The words blur together, slipping away before I can fully understand what they mean. Everything in my body feels weighted down. My eyelids won't move, sealed shut by a deep fatigue. My arms feel like lead against the sheets. Even pulling air into my lungs feels like an immense amount of work, a slow chore I can barely find the energy to sustain.
