Cruel Awakening

A sharp palm struck my cheek, yanking me out of the dark. Before I could even process the shock, more heavy blows rained down across my face, each impact burning hotter than the one before. A loud ringing drowned out every other sound, leaving me half-deaf and completely disoriented for what felt like an eternity, even if only a few seconds had actually ticked by.

I lay frozen on the floor, strug