Days passed, each one marked by Alicia's arduous journey towards recovery. Each time her eyes fluttered open, she was met with a maelstrom of emotions and a tempest of memories just beyond her grasp. These fragmented recollections taunted her, refusing to fit together, leaving her feeling like a ship lost at sea, adrift between the unforgiving waves of confusion and despair.
Mabel's growing worry etched lines of concern on her face, a testament to the toll this prolonged ordeal was taking on both of them. She had always known Alicia's strength, but this battle was unlike any other, chipping away at their optimism. The sporadic cycles of consciousness followed by tearful outbursts had become a pattern that had Mabel perpetually on edge. They were in the dark, relying solely on medical treatments, attempting to mend the fractures in Alicia's mind as recommended by the doctors.