Elián;
The moment my eyes open, I know something is wrong. Different in a subtle way.
The kind of subtlety that's heavy because you can feel it seeping into your bones.
It feels like I have been dropped into water without realising it. The sound in my ears feels muffled and… my body just feels… off.
For a moment, I remain still in bed, staring at the canopy above me. My body feels heavy. Not tired. I just woke up. But I feel… like there are weights tied to my limbs.
The air feels thicker than usual.
I swallow.
A ripple starts in my chest. A strange, crawling sensation beneath my ribs. Like something is tightening from the inside.
I inhale slowly and exhale as I try to pull myself together.
The curtains stir slightly in the breeze. And Nagari carries its usual, gentle hums and hisses. The world looks normal.
So why does my heart feel like it's trying to escape my throat?
I press my palm to my chest. And my heart is off the rails!! It's beating too fast. Too loud.
