Cuts through everything else.
Pain spikes again.
Dragging me under.
Pulling me back.
Back to the compound—
Back to the gunfire—
Back to the moment it went bad—
No.
Not going back there.
Not again.
“Hey.”
Closer now.
Right at my ear.
“You don’t get to check out.”
Her.
Again.
Stronger.
Fiercer.
“You hear me?”
Yeah.
I hear you.
Barely.
But enough.
I push against the weight pressing me down.
Against the darkness trying to pull me under.
Doesn’t work.
Not really.
But I try.
Because she said to.
Because—
