The car flew off the cliff.
Its speed carried it past the jagged edge of the road and into open air as the tires lost contact with the ground in a single, irreversible instant.
It surged forward as though something unseen had forced it, too fast to control and with no chance of stopping, before hanging briefly in weightless suspension, as if time itself had slowed.
This isn't real… It can't be.
The headlights cut through the darkness, one dim and fading while the other flickered weakly with a faint bzzzt… bzzzt…
Wind rushed through the shattered front window with a steady whoooosh, pulling cold air and the distant scent of the ocean into the car.
A crack stretched across the windshield, thin fractures spreading outward with a faint tkkk… tkkk… that suggested the glass would not hold for much longer.
Inside, the air felt heavy and tense.
A woman sat in the passenger seat, limp and unmoving, her head tilted to the side as a thin line of blood traced down from her temple.
Her hair shifted across her face in the rushing wind.
That's… me...
The steering wheel jerked suddenly with a sharp krrrk, the movement abrupt and unnatural, not caused by the fall itself.
Something had moved it.
As the ocean rose rapidly below them, an arm extended from the driver's seat with slow, deliberate motion.
A man's hand closed around her body, his grip firm and cold, pulling her slightly toward him as though to shield her from the impact.
The figure beside her remained difficult to see, his form obscured by shadow in a way that made his features unclear.
Only his eyes stood out, faintly visible with a subtle, unnatural purple glow, fixed on her with quiet intensity that suggested urgency and concern that felt strangely personal despite the situation.
Who…?
A faint pull stirred deep inside her chest.
Why does he feel… familiar?
The rest of him seemed indistinct, as if not fully present, yet there was something undeniably human in the way he held her, steady and protective.
I should know him… Why don't I know him?
The woman stirred faintly, a soft sound escaping her lips, though her eyes did not open.
She could not see him, but a slight tension passed through her, as if some part of her was aware of his presence.
Don't let go…
Moments later, the car struck the ocean, the impact folding metal inward as water surged over the vehicle, swallowing everything in seconds.
WHUMP! CRASH! SPLAAASHHH!
The noise faded quickly, leaving only darkness.
---
AAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!
A scream escaped her as she woke.
She sat upright abruptly, drawing in sharp breaths as if she had just surfaced from deep water.
Air. I need air.
Her chest rose and fell unevenly while she struggled to steady herself, her lungs burning with each inhale.
Her hands tightened against the sheets beneath her, her fingers unsteady as she gripped the fabric.
That was real… it felt real. This wasn't a dream.
She opened her eyes and looked around, trying to make sense of her surroundings.
A harsh white light filled the room, forcing her to squint.
A steady beep… beep… beep… sounded nearby, accompanied by the low hum of machines.
The air carried a sterile, chemical scent that lingered in her throat.
At first, it seemed like a hospital, but the feeling did not settle right.
No… something's wrong…
She knew she had been taken somewhere after the accident, yet this place felt distant and unfamiliar, lacking the quiet structure she expected.
There was something off about it, something difficult to define but impossible to ignore.
This isn't the place they should have brought me.
Her gaze dropped to her body.
A pale gown rested loosely against her skin, and several wires were attached to her, their touch cold and clinical.
An IV line ran into her arm, fluid dripping steadily in controlled intervals.
Her breathing slowed slightly, though it remained uneven.
"What…?" she murmured, her voice faint.
Then she heard it.
At first, the sound was distant, barely noticeable, but it quickly became clearer.
Voices carried through the walls, uneven and uncontrolled.
A sudden burst of laughter cut through the air, sharp and out of place, followed by raised voices and the metallic clang of something striking against a surface.
Somewhere farther away, someone was crying, the sound strained and unsteady.
She grew still as she listened.
That's not normal…
This did not sound like a hospital.
Her eyes moved around the room again, more carefully this time.
The walls were bare, almost deliberately so, and the equipment around her seemed minimal, enough to observe but not to treat.
The space felt cold, not in temperature but in purpose.
This place isn't right for me…
The realization came quietly.
"…An asylum," she said under her breath.
The word lingered in her mind longer than it should have, settling heavily as its meaning began to take shape.
A place people don't leave…
A quiet realization followed, slow but certain, as she understood that this place was not meant for recovery but for confinement, and that whatever had brought her here had not been for her sake.
Why bring me here? This isn't an accident. Someone who knows me or knows of me put me here on purpose.
A faint unease settled in her chest as she tried to sit up, her body still weak and unresponsive.
Before she could move further from her place.
BANG.
The door opened abruptly loud, causing her to flinch instinctively.
Several people entered at once, their movements quick and coordinated.
They wore white coats, their faces partially hidden behind masks, leaving only their eyes visible.
Their expressions appeared detached and focused.
"Wait… what's happening?" she asked, her voice tightening.
No one answered.
No... Something's wrong.
They approached the bed without hesitation.
Hands pressed her back down firmly, one holding her shoulders while another restrained her arms.
She struggled immediately, panic rising as she tried to pull free.
What are they doing?
"Stop… wait… please…" she said, her voice breaking as she twisted against their grip.
Don't touch me!
"Hold her still," one of them said evenly.
No… this isn't right.
"No, don't—" she tried to say, but her words cut off as her fear intensified.
A small click followed.
Then she felt a sharp sting in her arm.
She froze for a brief moment before the sensation began to spread.
Not again…
It was not warm, but sharp and invasive, moving quickly through her veins and leaving a growing heaviness behind.
Her strength began to fade.
Her limbs weakened despite her effort to resist, and her body sank back against the bed as control slipped away.
"Wait… no… I…" Her speech faltered, her thoughts becoming unclear.
Stay awake… don't fall.
The faces above her blurred, their outlines shifting as her vision lost focus.
Their voices grew distant, blending into indistinct sounds.
The ceiling above her seemed to tilt, turning slowly at first before becoming disorienting.
The steady beeping stretched and warped into something far away.
That man…
A faint image surfaced through the haze.
Who was he…?
A strange ache tightened in her chest.
Why did it feel like I knew him…?
Darkness closed in without warning.
Don't forget…
It overtook her completely.