The Weight of Absence

Cassia Rowe

The smell and soft sounds of the hospital room hung in the air as I slowly regained consciousness. Blinking against the harsh overhead light, I felt my head throbbing, my body heavy and aching. For a few seconds, I couldn't quite remember where I was or why I was here. My body felt heavy, as though every inch of me had been weighed down by something too powerful to shake off. But then