It had been a long night. I knew this day would come; there was no preparation for it. As we all stood around the hospital bed, holding hands, I saw a puff of smoke above me. I looked around at our family and friends. Their eyes closed. Was it inappropriate to shout out, “Hey, look ...

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 **Content Warning:** Contains allusions to emotional and psychological abuse at the hands of a maternal figure.

 Check Out Waking Up: The First Day – Part 1. ~ Who’s Michael? Devoid of perception, I am falling. I am aware of nothingness. Neither asleep nor awake, the existence of time suggests I’m alive. A crooning infiltrates my perception. “My son is back.” A tachycardia alarm shakes me as nausea changes gravity’s directions in ...