Side Story 21:

Carmen’s POV:

I felt my phone buzz, a low, persistent vibration. I groaned. My body felt heavy, a leaden, aching mass of exhaustion. I was groggy, my limbs weak as I pushed myself off the bed. A shiver ran down my back, and I clutched the blanket tighter around me in a useless attempt to ward off the cold.

I looked at the time. The digital clock on my bedside table glowed a bright, intrusive blue.