Raymond groggily opened his eyes, blinking furiously as the pale hospital light filtered through the half-closed blinds. Snowflakes swirled past the window, painting fleeting patterns against the glass. The sterile scent of antiseptic filled his nostrils, and he became aware of the steady beeping of machines surrounding him. His body felt heavy, lethargic, and a dull ache pulsed through his leg, just like his head throbbed. Reflexively, he reached up to touch his temple but was stopped short by the IV taped to his arm.

"What the..?" His voice was hoarse, barely more than a whisper. As he struggled to make sense of his surroundings, he noticed something peculiar – dozens of small pieces of paper scattered on the bedside table. Flowers in various states of bloom occupied nearly every available surface in the room. The sheer volume of them made his head spin. He grabbed one of the notes with unsteady fingers and squinted at the familiar handwriting when he put on his glasses in one motion.

'Hey Ray, I'll be here tomorrow again. Miss you, buddy.'

Something is wrong. He grabbed another card. 'Happy birthday, Ray!! Can't wait to see your smile again.' Confusion washed over him. Tomorrow? Again? Birthday? He picked up next note. 'Raymond, it's winter again. We're supposed to have that Christmas party we talked about. Wake up soon, okay?'

His eyes darted to the calendar hanging on the wall. The date was definitely not anywhere near where he thought it should be. He had graduated from college, hadn't he? But the year was all wrong. A cold realization sank in. It wasn't just a few days or weeks. A year or even years had slipped through his fingers like sand.

Raymond continued to sift through the notes, trying to piece together the lost time. Each one became more intimate, more revealing of what he couldn't remember. He was contemplating what might have happened during that period when he heard the quiet click of the door handle. Instinctively, he turned toward the sound. The door swung open slowly, and a familiar face came into view, one that he had seen a thousand times in happier, simpler moments.

The sight of Raymond sitting up in the hospital bed, conscious and alert, stopped his friend in his tracks. He stood there, stock-still, his eyes wide and filled with a cocktail of emotions that Raymond couldn't immediately discern. Shock, joy, relief – all mingled in one overwhelming gaze. The flowers his friend had been holding slipped from his grasp, white petals scattered around his shoes in a silent cascade.

Raymond opened his mouth to say something but words failed him at first. He simply watched his friend, taking in the disbelief etched on his face. "Erm, hey. Honestly, I don't really understand what's going on." Raymond finally managed, his voice cracking slightly. "Hell, it's a lot to take in, huh?"

He smiled faintly, confusion evident on his face. "So, how long have I–"