A Gentle First Stretch

A tiny flutter of warmth slipped into my fingertips. I blinked into the soft evening dimness, feeling the textured folds of the navy sheet beneath me. Slowly, I lifted my right arm—it moved! Beside me rested a quiet companion shaped like a little mermaid. I reached out and gently tapped the edge of her pink tail with my hand, listening to the soft, comforting silence around us before resting back on the fabric.