Chapter 37

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Gradually, something outside of Sophia's consciousness brings her back to awareness. She senses a gentle swishing sound, accompanied by a growing warmth and fluttering heat that gradually spreads from her back, heels, skull, and legs. As her limbs tingle back to life, she begins to cough, her body wracked with a violent choking fit that fully rouses her awake, with searing pain in her lungs. Her eyes flutter open, through the haze of a throbbing headache that makes her feel nauseous and disoriented, as if her body no longer belongs to her.
Her fingers twitch involuntarily and a sensation under her hand catches her attention. Blinking and focusing, she realizes her hand is resting on a mixture of wet, shiny, tiny stones and pebbles, embedded in gritty gravel and sand. Her fingertips are dirty, coated with clingy grit that clings to her wrinkled skin, especially under her nails. Groaning loudly, she attempts to lift her head and shift her shoulders, only to be met with aching discomfort. Coughing again, she brings up water, phlegm, and the metallic taste of blood, causing her to gag. Intense hunger pangs and all-over body aches assail her, while her cold and damp belly reflects the surface on which she lies—bumpy, textured, and wrapped in a layer of gritty dampness. Her senses gradually return, bringing back the sensation to her previously heavy and numbed body.