Chapter 84

• Panic rushed through Charles like a flood. The blood on his palm wasn't even red, but black. He could taste the metallic taste blood had thick on his tongue, and he coughed some more. As he coughed, it felt like he wouldn't stop. He wrenched his tie from his neck to enable him to breathe but doing that seemed to drain him faster as he fell to the ground.
• He tried to use his palm to hold himself but ended up collapsing on the floor. He continued to cough and dark blood dribbled down the sides of his mouth. His chest felt tight, like there was no space for his heart to beat. He had thought he would be fine, not knowing the gas had already done its worst while he had been busy hacking at the door.
• Was he going like that?