The words filtered through the heavy layers of sleep covering her. They were spoken brutally, in a harsh voice, and with utter truth and deep emotion. The man speaking them wanted her to live more than anything in the world. It sounded as if he would perish if she didn’t open her eyes and return to the living. She wasn’t sure who he was, but it was nice to have someone care. Although she wasn’t sure she should return. It was so quiet here, so peaceful and calm. She floated in a velvety ocean of nothingness. Only small flickers of emotion teased her once in a while. Other than those pesky flickers of unwanted feeling, she only experienced numbness. It was a place free of fear, uncertainty, and anguish. She wasn’t sure she could ever leave. Not if it was to return to the world—where fear, uncertainty, and anguish ruled the day. Not even if it meant finding out who this intriguing man was and why he wanted her back so badly. “Don’t die.” The words came again, softer this time, a hint of vulnerability mixed in with the aggressive command.
