The Rousing Silence

Tonrie slowly opens his eyes, and a world shrouded in brightness greets him, the muted sounds of a bustling hospital enveloping his senses.

"Doct...wake..." the muffled sounds of strangers reaches his ears. The sterile, clinical environment assaults him as his groggy vision adjusts, revealing a hospital bed and unfamiliar sights and sounds. The room feels foreign, every silhouette and voice an enigma.

His body, drained and weakened, aches from head to toe. Attempting to sit up, Tonrie discovers that his strength is all but gone.

"Easy, easy, son," a comforting voice soothes him, and he turns his attention to the sound of a kindly, older doctor hovering over him. "Tonrie, can you hear me?"

"Uh... yeah," Tonrie responds, his voice thick and laced with confusion. "My head... where... where am I?"