Chapter 32: The Mother of All Surprises

The night air grew bitterly cold the closer the time crept to morning. Layla awoke to the gentle sensation of someone or something pulling her by her torn and ragged dress which was frozen to her body. She could tell that whoever or whatever was pulling on her dress was doing so with extreme caution but due to the drastic cold temperature and her frozen dress, it felt as if the top layer of her skin was being forcibly removed from her body.

She was so disoriented and discombobulated, that she couldn't process what was happening to her. But it wasn't violent, she knew that much. Her eyes did not want to open but not without trying. She began to panic, she couldn't understand what was happening or what had happened. It felt as if ice was running through her veins, she was frozen cold to her core. She wanted to move or scream but was met with nothing except futility.

Her heart was racing. Her thoughts were swimming, nothing was making sense. She was lost, physically, emotionally. She