The beeping sound, bright lights and unmistakable smell is more than enough to tell me where I am. The emptiness in my stomach is the icing on the cake.

Brown eyes, and that deep Southern twang filters in my mind, welcomed. My cousin Kylie is always a welcome.

What had me not opening my eyes and rethinking my rushed flight to survive decision is the intense, ice man with frozen blue shards that colored his irises. His sculpted face was always sharp around the edges.

And I ...