Peter Aria slowly regained consciousness.
It felt like he had been in a long dream.
The setting sun pierced through the gauze curtains and fell on the opposite wall. Gold, hazy light outlined winding shadows on the smooth wall.
He subconsciously reached out, as if the person he had been dreaming about was within those light and shadows.
"Cough, cough..." The intense itching sensation in his chest made him involuntarily cough out loud, causing the hand he had extended to limp mid-air.
"Finally awake." An old man with white hair came over holding a bowl of medicine.
Peter Aria twisted his somewhat stiff neck. As he opened his mouth, he found his voice was hoarse.
"Who are you?"
"Where am I?"
"Don't speak, drink the medicine first."
The old man feed him the medicine spoon by spoon. Peter Aria could feel the familiar smell of the medicine on this old man, and so he did not resist, taking the strange-tasting medicine meekly.