*Natalia*

There was a sound cutting through the peaceful quiet and I wanted it to stop, but for an indeterminate amount of time, I couldn’t do anything about it. It was an annoying, repetitive, and high-pitched sound. I was so warm and comfortable that the idea of moving my arms or opening my eyes felt absurd.

I’d had a lot of cocktails with Mia, and I was drunk. I was just the right amount of drunk to sleep soundly and not have any bad dreams. This sound ...