The light was too blinding for me to open my eyes, so I kept them shut, focusing instead on the sounds around me. My body felt heavy, and every inch of me ached with exhaustion, but my ears remained alert, picking up voices and movements close by.
A voice, soft but trembling with worry, reached me. "Is she okay now?"
That voice—I recognized it. It sounded so familiar, stirring something deep inside me. Who is that? My thoughts struggled to catch up, but as fragments of both my past and present lives swirled in my mind, it finally hit me. Astrid.
So, we made it. We're safe now. Relief washed over me. Then I heard another voice—Ryan's—steady and reassuring. "Yes, she is."
The fog in my mind began to lift. Karun. Where was he? My heart pounded as I tried to piece together what had happened. With an immense effort, I forced my eyes open, even though the brightness stung. My gaze slowly adjusted, and I took in the scene around me. Aiden was holding Astrid, who looked pale and shaken, her body trembling slightly as if she hadn't fully processed everything yet. Damian stood nearby, his presence a quiet reassurance, watching over us. Ryan was focused on adjusting the drip by my bedside, his expression calm, but the tension in his movements betrayed his concern.
I could barely muster the energy to speak, but I needed to know. Gathering all the strength I had left, I managed to whisper, "Karun?"
Damian stepped aside, revealing a bed next to mine. There, hooked up to a ventilator, was Karun. My heart tightened at the sight of him—pale, fragile—but alive. Astrid, catching my anxiety, spoke softly, her voice filled with sympathy. "Oh, Kathy, Karun's safe. Don't worry. And you…"
Her words blurred as exhaustion overtook me once again. I could barely hold on to consciousness, but I felt a small flicker of hope. Karun was alive. He looked weak, but he was breathing. And I... I would recover too. I had to.
My eyes grew too heavy to keep open, and before I knew it, I was sinking into a deep, dreamless sleep. Safe. We were safe—for now. There was no energy left for dreams, just the silence of slumber pulling me in deeper.