Allison's POV

My eyelids felt like they were made of stone as I tried to lift them, a mysterious weight slamming them shut back, while the back of my throat ached as if I hadn’t swallowed in hours.

I tried again to peel my eyes open, and this time they obeyed. The world came in blurry shapes and smears of color, like a watercolor painting left out in the rain. Then the light stabbed at me, sharp and unforgiving. I groaned and turned my head to the side. My cheek brushed against ...