Author's POV

The morning brought a softness to the air that hadn't been there before. When the alarm chime echoed through her apartment, it didn't feel like a sharp, painful invasion. For the first time in what felt like an eternity, Aurora stretched without the heavy, crushing weight of exhaustion dragging her back down. She arched her back, a long, slow movement, and felt no dizziness. No gasp of pain. A small, triumphant smile played on her lips. The illness that had kept her prisoner for days was finally losing its grip.