Chapter 199

There was little in my stomach and what was there was trying to come up. Warm hands grasped my shoulders.

"Deep breaths. You're okay," Brack said with quiet authority.

I tried to inhale. There was no air. And he lied. Nothing would ever be okay again.

Dead.

I struggled to get out of bed while mumbling, "Toilet, I- please."

An ugly plastic, curved, pink hospital bowl appeared under my chin as I heaved. It did little good; nothing came up and I couldn't catch my breath.

"Breathe in through your nose and hold it as I countone- two- three." Brack's commanding voice penetrated my thoughts. He sounded like he spoke through a funnel. Something in his instructions had me paying attention and doing what he said.

"Now out through your mouthone- two- three."

It took several minutes for the roar to fade to a small whoosh. The heat from one of his hands rested against the base of my neck. Then I felt his fingers in my hair tilting my head back.

"You're okay. You suffer these often?"

It to