Chapter 185

• Claire woke up from the start, gasping, panting, and blinking frantically around herself, hoping it was not real, wondering if she was dead, alive, or just hanging in the middle. She could feel her chest expand at every intake of a deep breath, and she could feel the way it contracted as all the air rushed out of her nose and mouth.
• She could blink. She could breathe. And she could very well feel all of those things happening. All the signs pointed to the same conclusion: she was still alive.
• But before she could celebrate the minor victory, a stabbing pain threatened to split her skull. Although Claire was quick to realize it was where that unknown man had bashed her head with something hard.