Chapter 4

The sharp scent of antiseptic burned my nostrils as I struggled to open my eyes. The world blurred around me, a haze of white and steel that spun violently before slowly coming into focus. I was lying on a narrow bed in what looked like an emergency room, surrounded by beeping machines and sterile curtains. A nurse leaned over me, her face a mask of concern.

“Miss Parker?” she said softly, pressing a cool cloth to my forehead. “Can you hear me?”

I tried to speak, but my voice was hoarse, barely a whisper. “W-what happened?”

The nurse’s expression softened.…