Xiao Zhi woke up to a stabbing pain in her head. Her mouth tasted bitter from the wine, and her body felt heavy as if there was a massive boulder sitting on top of her. She kept her eyes closed, listening to her own shaky breathing. For a moment, except for the throbbing pain, everything felt normal.
But then, blurred memories started to appear.
Her eyes snapped open. She stared at the empty ceiling, but her chest felt tight with fear. Something had happened in the dark, something horrible and terrifying. She tried to swallow, but her throat felt like it was on fire.
Reaching up to touch her face, she felt a dry streak on her skin.
I was crying, she realized.
Grabbing the edge of the bed, she tried to sit up slowly. The world seemed to tilt, and she felt like she was about to throw up. Then slowly, piece by piece, clearer fragments of last night returned.
