The first thing I heard was birdsong. Soft, layered melodies drifting through my open window like a gentle reminder that the world hadn’t stopped spinning, even if mine felt like it had crashed and was still trying to rebuild itself from the pieces scattered on the floor.

Light filtered through my curtains—soft, pale gold that rested on my skin like a hesitant touch. I blinked slowly, staring up at the familiar cracks on the ceiling. For a few seconds, my mind was blank, quiet, blessedly ...