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Change of Plans

last update Last Updated: 2025-01-03 05:10:59

*Heidi*

I open my eyes, struggling to adjust to the bright, white walls and ceiling surrounding me. I have a major headache, my eyes sting, and I feel a tightness in my chest that makes it hard to breathe.

I inhale sharply, and that makes me cough. A lot.

My throat burns, and when I think I can’t handle it anymore, someone walks into my room, offering me a glass of water.

There’s some sort of oxygen mask in the way, so I move it aside a bit and take the glass, gulping down the liquid, instantly feeling relief.

“How are you feeling?” the kind nurse asks in a sweet voice.

I cough a few more times and return the glass to her. She sets it on the table next to my bed.

“My chest feels heavy, and I have this awful headache. My throat is also bothering me, but other than that, I feel okay,” I tell her.

“That’s expected since you inhaled a lot of smoke. The doctor said you should recover soon, but you will need to spend the night in observation,” the nurse explains.

That’s when my memory sta
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