The dizziness felt like weightlessness in an elevator that had the fast-forward button pressed. The Excel report and coffee-stained keyboard in front of me were instantly replaced by the dazzling sunlight. I suddenly choked on the air that smelled of plant ash, and coughed violently. The rough linen cloth rubbed against my skin, causing a stinging pain like needles.
"Wake up, wake up! This orphan is so tough. He survived after being hungry for three days!" A slightly shrill female voice rang in my ears. I opened my eyes with difficulty, and what I saw was a roof made of yellow mud, a few blackened wooden beams that were crumbling, half a bundle of dry firewood piled in the corner, and the air was filled with a lingering smell of mold and smoke.
