I awoke suddenly, and opened my eyes. Agonizing whiteness, like headlights, pierced through my retinas. I closed my eyes again, quickly.

This. Doesn’t. Feel. Right. It was silent, much more silent than it would have been if I was at home in my bed.

I heard a faint pattering beside me, footsteps.

I struggled to see what was causing the sound, but my head wouldn’t budge. It was strapped down, tight.

Without permission, my eyes opened again, and the light grabbed, held on. It felt like it was twisting my eyeballs from their socket.

I opened my mouth to scream, but no sound came out. I forced my eyes closed again.

I could hear someone whispering to someone else. “Yes, she cannot move.”

I heard the being pause for a moment, and for some reason I imagined him smiling, “But she will feel everything.”