First Breath in the Quiet

The room was dim and empty. A faint warmth stirred deep inside my chest. Slowly, I lifted my right hand, curling fingers that used to be rigid. Beneath my boots, the grain of the polished timber felt solid, grounding me. I reached forward and lightly tapped the table's edge with a fingernail, hearing a quiet, steady click echo in the silence. It was real. I took one deliberate breath, lowered my hand, and settled in to watch over the dark hall.