TROY I opened my eyes and found myself lying in a bed, shirtless. The room felt oddly familiar, though I knew it wasn’t mine. Turning to my left, I saw Marianne sitting beside me. Suddenly, the memory of her lying in a pool of blood flooded back. I bolted upright. "Marianne? Is this a dream?" "Troy, how do you feel?" she asked, her voice steady, though her eyes showed concern. I cupped her face, my heart racing at the thought that this could all be a dream. "Marianne," I gasped, my eyes welling up. She looked at me, slightly startled by my intensity. "Yes, it's me, Troy." Without thinking, I pulled her into a tight embrace. "I thought I lost you... I can't believe you're here." She gently pulled back, her expression questioning. "Why? What do you remember?" I released her from the hug, holding her hands instead, "There was an attacker. He opened fire as soon as you opened the door. You closed it and dropped to the floor while I ran to get my gun. When I came back, the
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