A week later, Daniel opened his eyes.
The first thing he saw was Emma, holding Lily close. Tears streamed down her face.
“You’re back,” she whispered.
Daniel blinked slowly. “I was… I was trapped. I couldn’t move. I heard everything.”
Emma gasped. “You heard us?”
He nodded weakly. “I heard Lily… She said, ‘Daddy, wake up.’ And I tried. I kept screaming inside. I was so scared.”
Lily peeked from behind Emma’s shoulder, her tiny voice barely audible. “I told them you were still here.”
Daniel’s eyes filled with tears.
“You saved me, baby.”
