A Gentle First Stretch

A tiny spark fluttered inside my chest, and all at once I could feel the cool air settling around me. I looked down at the soft teal folds gathered around my legs. With a quiet breath, I tried lifting my long arm—and it actually moved! Just like in the best hero tales where adventures start with a brave first step, I reached forward and pressed my palm against a wrinkled crease in the duvet, smoothing it gently flat. I could really move, and I was sitting upright all on my own.