Kai
It's the third time this has happened—waking up in the middle of the night, in the middle of the street, with no memory of how I got here. Alone. Shirtless.
Rain slams down in icy sheets, soaking me to the bone. The chill burrows into my skin, but it doesn't numb the ache twisting through my body.
I sit up slowly, every muscle screaming in protest. It feels like I've been tossed into a cement mixer, churned around, and spat out onto the pavement. My ribs throb with each shallow breath, and my head pulses like a jackhammer.
I drag a hand over my face, the motion rough and desperate, like I'm trying to scrub away the night.
When I lower my hands, my stomach drops.
My knuckles are coated in blood—dark, viscous, and fresh enough to smear.
It's not mine.
Most of it doesn't even belong to me.
A cold wave of panic crashes over me, tightening my chest like a vice. My lungs seize. I can't breathe. I'm trying, but I can't. My ribs feel like they're caving in, my heart hammering against them like it's trying to break free.
Stop.
Breathe.
I force air into my lungs, each gasp sharp and ragged. Slowly, the world steadies, but the dread stays, heavy and unrelenting.
No. No, no, no.
What have I done?
Gritting my teeth, I clench my fists, ignoring the sting in my knuckles. I can't lose myself in this—not now. I've been here before: alone, in the rain, with nothing but regret and the deafening pound of blood in my ears.
The sharp BEEP of a notification jolts me out of my spiral.
Hah. At least I still have my phone.
I fumble for it, the soaked fabric of my sweatpants clinging to my skin, making the motion awkward. When I finally pull it out, the familiar spiderweb of cracks greets me.
4:07 a.m.
Shit.
I shove the phone back into my pocket, its cold weight grounding me. I need to get home. Then figure out how to deal with… everything else. One step at a time, Kai.
Groaning, I push myself upright. Pain flares in my knee—sharp and searing—and my leg almost gives out. I catch myself against a lamppost, its metal slick and icy under my hand.
Every step is a battle. My knee throbs like it's about to explode, the rain soaking through my threadbare sweatpants and sending chills up my spine.
One step. Then another.
Just great. Absolutely fucking great.