Page 282 of Volik

I turn in a circle, holding my hand up against the weather. But the rain is coming down so hard I can hardly see.

Whaaaat is happening?

I blink.

Rain still pelts me.

How did I get here?

I stick my thumb into my mouth. And pull it out.

I lick my thumb. Over and over.

But my apartment doesn’t reappear around me.

I pinch my arm.

But I don’t wake up.

I’m not asleep.

“What?” I try to shout, but the frigid air sucks the breath out of my lungs.

Another gust of wind crashes into me, and I stumble a step forward.

My arms reach out for the wall of rough gray rock.

This is crazy.

I went from sane to crazy in one heartbeat.

I press my hands to the stone and keep my back to the wind.

Rain still blurs my view, but when I look over my shoulder, I can see that the flat path I’m on is actually a ledge on the side of a mountain.

My pulse jumps as my throat tightens.

I lean my weight onto my palms against the wet stone and close my eyes.

I don’t want to fall off a cliff. Even if I’m having a psychotic episode and the cliff isn’t truly there.

Just stay calm.

This will all end in a moment.

I wonder if I should just stand still and wait whatever this is out. But the cold… it’s so real.

Shivering, I blink my eyes open.

I need to stay warm.

I need to get warm.

Keeping a hand against the rock, I shuffle forward down the narrow ledge.

Then my hand meets nothing.

My heart lurches as I stand, half frozen, staring at the entrance to a cave.