A Dry Click
My jaw moved first. It made a faint, dry clack, porcelain against porcelain. Everything was remarkably white and empty around me. I tested my balance, swaying a little to the left, and felt the smooth, cold surface beneath my feet. I pressed my lower teeth together once more, listening to the small echo in the stillness. I am standing upright here, entirely on my own, in the quiet light.

