My eyes fluttered open, greeted by the sterile white of a ceiling overhead.
Huh? What?
The sharp scent of disinfectants filled my nostrils, and the softness of the mattress beneath me made it clear I wasn't anywhere familiar.
A wave of confusion washed over me.
Where am I?
I tried to move, but the slight tug of something on my arm made me pause.
Glancing down, I saw several stitches and a small needle taped to my skin, connected to a thin tube leading to an IV drip hanging from a stand nearby.
Am I in the hospital again?
The rhythmic beeping of machines I hadn't noticed before filled the room, their sounds blending into the background.
Pushing aside the discomfort, I sat up slowly, the soft mattress shifting beneath me.
As I did, recognition hit me like a cold splash of water.
This room… it was unmistakably mine.
I muttered to myself, "This room? Isn't it mine?"
