In contrast to the enduring cold, this comforting warmth scorched my skin. Prickles ascended my limbs as the fog rolled out—simultaneously slow and all too fast. Finally landing on my face and setting me aflame after centuries of darkness.

I could almost smell the warming air. The stone heating quicky under this intense new glare.

Something shifted in that moment.

A wave of fear overcame me as I thought I lost my sight-seeing nothing but blinding white and endless white. Pupils unused to perceiving the world in anything but shadow, shades of black and blue.

I knew this would be something beautiful. It should be something beautiful. We have waiting such a long time after all. But..perhaps we were not people built for beautiful things. Maybe we were never meant to know the warmth that we sacrificed so much to free. Our bodies and minds unconditioned to live in this bright new world we so longed for.