The phone erupted into a shrill, merciless ring, so loud and aggressive it felt personal, like the device itself had nursed a grudge against her all night and was finally unleashing it.
The sound sliced straight through the fragile layers of Raya's sleep, yanking her violently back to consciousness.
Her eyes snapped open.
A deep frown immediately carved itself between her brows, sharp and instinctive, as confusion and irritation collided in her chest.
Her heart thudded hard once, twice... caught off guard by the sudden assault on the quiet dark.
She lay frozen for a split second, blinking against the disorientation, the room still swimming in midnight shadows and the faint blue glow leaking from the phone screen.
The ringing didn't relent.
It drilled louder, more insistent, vibrating the entire wooden surface like it was determined to drag her fully into the waking world whether she wanted it or not.
