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But whatever he ue as he realized: it was dark because he was co now, the world dissolving, hisinto air that was too thincan’t breathe, can’t--

"Hannah" He felt a surge of sudden strength born of panic "Hannah, b-blind"

"I know I’ile as a soap bubble: "Let go, Chris Stop fighting it Let it go"

"N-no" The cold was a boot on his back, a fist on his chest, a hand draped over his eyes Can’t see, can’t move, can’t"Wuhwhy"

"Shh," she said "I’ we can do for you You’re hurt too badly This is better, Chris Trust "

But what if he wanted to fight? I don’t want to die, I’m not ready, I’ain, but now her voice was no ht it, Chris Accept this and let go I’ll stay with you until the end You won’t be alone"

No But he couldn’t stop this His ins of his world closing down like an iris Nodon’t let go, Chrisdon’tlet

She woke in agony Gasping--no, not gasping; croaking, straining for air, the sound a ragged ak, an invisible fist crushing her throat She swa and into the blackness that was her now The pain in her lungs ful, lass Her brain was pulsing so hard it felt like her heart had crawled into her skull Orits fists against bone

Frolow White light? Was this hoas supposed to go? First, the light as her brain, starved for oxygen, gave up the ghost, and then that tunnel, and at the end

No, not a glow Tiny pinpricks Not breaks in the snow either She worked at bringing the light into focus and understood: Ellie’s Mickey Mouse watch She hadn’t taken it off since the night before that terriblethat Harlan shot Tom and took Ellie Mickey said it was--she forced her vision to firm--five after seven

Past dawn Been here forShe couldn’t do the hts winking out and pulling apart even as her mind shimmied and seemed to swell beyond the liht she was standing above, on the snow, as her gaze swept over splintered trees, rocks fractured to rubble, anda ski pole? She couldn’t tell, had no time to parse it out The vision faded and as left was so and too white, like the eye of a full moon before the world died

This ht That here she had to go, because Toh above and unreachable, and if only she could float far enough, fast enoughTomwaitwait for me

All of a sudden, her mind shifted with a hard, panicky clench, a flutter, the sudden bunch and twist of thethat she really was on her way out That this was it, end of the line--and it was fighting like hell to work its way free

Despite everything, she wanted to laugh Might have, if she’d had the air The ht it would, but it was still trapped inside her head, and she was buried alive

Got youI g-got youHer thoughts were slurring Hurts, this hurts So hard to focus Words slipping through her fingers, dropping out of heraway, except for the pain Hurts No air Chesthurt, hurt Dark Noairn-no, can’t let go

She fought to suck in one more breath

Can’tl-letOutside the torture house, the horses were restless, nickering and tossing their heads Matching hiolden retriever, Daisy, alternated between anxious pants and high whimpers

"Man, you see that?" Pru asked in a low voice "Yeah All the animals are spooked" He looked up at the older boy "You felt it, too I know you did"

"Felt what?" With his fun nixed, Aidan had attached hi and Pru For Aidan, an alert over the radio? Excellent Go where the trouble was, because you just never knehen the next opportunity for a little "

"Well, I did Ground shook, just like Kincaid said Like aa ruoes by? Or a big lightning strike, real close?" Pru lifted his nose and sniffed

"What are you doing?" Aidan said

"Sniffing for the ozone," Pru said "You know The way air shtning’s electricity It ain’t got a s said "Like car exhaust in summer"