The throbbing in her fingertips were the first thing she registered, as she slowly became aware, struggling to swim up from the blackness that threatened to suck her down forever. It was like tar; sticky, thick, dark. But the worst part was that it felt like it would be so much easier to just let it suffocate her.
But something told her she needed to fight, just keep her head above the water as long as she could. Just long enough for help to come.
"Riley."
The voice echoed around her brain before getting swallowed by the tar she was drowning in.
Whether or not she wanted to respond was irrelevant. It was all she could do to achieve breath after breath, and anything else was pushed away.
"Riley," the voice repeated, softer this time, and she felt it ripple around her mind like waves.
She felt something touch her face, and she startled at the sensation breaking through. Taking a deep breath to hold, she allowed herself to sink into the tar as she put all her focus on opening her eyes.
"There she is."
Her mother's smile was a relief, and she breathed out, as she became aware of the space around her, past her mother's face. White walls, medical equipment. A hospital.
She abruptly realized she had a needle taped in place in her wrist, and as she breathed she felt the nasal cannula resting gently above her lips.
It was so bright and cold in this room, and it smelled like metal and alcohol, and the heart monitor beeping next to her felt as loud as a fire alarm.
"What happened?" Came out of her mouth in a whisper, before she could even register that she was saying it.
"You're in the hospital." Her mother's smile strained, obviously attempting to stay positive and failing. "You tried to kill yourself last night."
