CHAPTER ONE: BO
She started to wake, slow and sluggish. Her mind was all black tar and white static, making her journey to consciousness disorientating.
Her awareness of her own breathing was the first to come back; her lungs gently pulling in air through her nose and exhaling it slowly.
Then her heart beat. Rhythmic, steady, relaxed. She could feel her pulse in her chest, her neck, her lower body.
Her back was cold. She thought that she must be lying on something cold. And hard, too. She realised she was flat on her back. Where were her legs? Her arms?
She wiggled her toes first, finding them where she expected to. Next, her fingers. Again, they were there, her arms lying next to her, slightly away from her body.
She went to rub her eyes.
Her arm didn't move.
She tried again.
This time a clinking sound met her ears, making her jump slightly. She hadn't realised how quiet it was.
She pulled her arms up, as hard as she could in her weakened state. The metal held fast, her arms locked at her sides.
Pulling at her legs, she found that they too were held down.
Slight panic kicked in and now she could hear her accelerated heart beat in her ears. She could feel the sudden burst of adrenaline erupt in her body, making her eyes snap open, violently waking up her body and tense against her bonds.
Lifting her head up, she attempted to look down at her limbs. But it was also dark and blurry. She couldn't see well enough for her eyes to be of any use.
Another adrenaline surge and she thrashed on her prison.
'Hush, sweet one.'
She lay still. Was there someone in there with her?
'Don't struggle. Everything will be fine.'
No, it wasn't a voice. At least not one that could be heard with her ears. Was it male or female?
"Who are you?!" Her scream came out as a horse whisper. "What do you want?!"
'For you to go back to sleep. I'm not ready for you yet.'
Instantly, her mind began to fog again and her limbs relaxed. The tar and static where back, distorting her mind, confounding her thoughts.
… why is it so cold?...