Chapter 43

• Natasha is saying something nearby. I can't hear her. It feels like I've sunk into some kind of dense substance that blocks out all sound.
• Just a few steps, a few seconds that seemed like an eternity. I walked towards them in that short moment, unsure where to look.
• I was on the edge. I could have just turned around and run away in disgrace, but I held myself together with the last bit of willpower. I was terrified beyond belief, not knowing what to expect.