Consciousness returned in fragments.
First came the weight.
A significant pressure was exerted upon Jack's lower extremities, as if a weighty object were resting upon him.
The sensation was not pleasant or neutral; it was distinctly uncomfortable, the kind of weight that something warm and alive was causing the pressure rather than inert matter.
His mind registered the presence but couldn't immediately process what it meant.
Then sensation reasserted itself, starting with the warmth. His skin felt feverish, burning from the inside out, as if the Madness state had left permanent scarring across his circulatory system.
Every nerve ending seemed hyperaware, overstimulated by whatever recovery his body had undergone.
The sheets beneath him were soaked through with sweat that had cooled and dried repeatedly, creating a tacky, uncomfortable texture against his skin.
Jack's eyes opened slowly, resisting the effort required to lift his eyelids. The world came into focus gradually.
