My hands move
Fingers flexing
The lump of my adam's apple twitches
Slowly my eyes open
I am alive
Breath passes my lips for the first time
Cracking over my dry throat
Filling my lungs
Expanding my chest
The room brightens
Blur leaving my vision
Blinking, blinking
I see the world through mortal eyes
I taste the air with a mortal tongue
Gagging
My first tear
Followed by my second
My hundredth in seconds
Stinging burning tears
Noise reaches my virgin ears
Loud, harsh, painful
Squeal, nails on chalkboard
Stillsaw on concrete, steel
Pain
Distress
For what?
Because I am alive.