( Some place else… )
Amara stirred slowly as consciousness flooded her head.
It was a sound that woke her first.
A faint sound which amplified. Like something whooshing past. As she listened closely, she realised it was just… air moving somewhere far away.
Then her senses picked up the smell.
Old wood? Rust? Damp cloth? And dust.So much dust it coated her tongue before her eyes could even focus properly
Amara's lashes fluttered in desperation.Her throat felt tight, like she had swallowed smoke. The back of her head throbbed with a dull ache that pulsed in sync with her heartbeat.
For a long, confused second…she thought she was still dreaming… trapped in one of her nightmares…until her fingers twitched and brushed something rough.
A coarse sheet.
Grainy.
Crusted with dirt.
Her body stiffened. The sound of her own breath filled her ears…so quick, uneven, shallow…
Then, slowly… she opened her eyes.
Darkness.
Everywhere.
