Chapter 143

**Mateo**

When I wake up, everything feels soft and warm and kind of floaty. There’s a quiet hum, like the world is purring, and when I open my eyes, I don’t see a roof. I see sky. It’s everywhere. Big, bright, and endless, right outside the tiny little window next to my head. The clouds look like giant pillows or fairy floss, all fluffy and twisty and glowing with sunlight. For a second, I just s