It started as a dull ache in his legs, something Alexander hadn’t felt in years. He was accustomed to the numb cold that had settled in his lower body since the accident. But this was a pulsing, throbbing sensation, as though his muscles were awakening from a long, deep slumber.
He tossed in bed, unable to get comfortable. Sweat pooled at his temples as the pain intensified, each wave crashing with more force. He wanted to call his doctor, but something stopped him. A part of him wanted to let this sensation play out, to see if there was any truth in the boy’s mysterious promise.
As the night dragged on, Alexander finally succumbed to a fitful sleep, visions of the boy’s makeshift ritual playing over in his mind like a haunting melody. He awoke the next morning drenched in sweat, the pain having subsided to a strange tingling that crept up his legs and settled in his spine.
