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Now, too late, she kneho’d lied to her

She had

Clara’s heart threw itself against her ribs, like soed and terrified and desperate to escape She realized she was holding her breath and wondered for how long Torapidly

Peter was talking but his voice wasin her head, and the pounding in her chest

And the noise building behind the doors As they got closer

"This’s going to be fun," said Peter, with a reassuring smile

Clara opened her hand and dropped her purse It fell with a plop to the floor, since it was all but e simply a breath mint and the tiny paint brush froiven her

Clara dropped to her knees, pretending to gather up invisible items and stuff the to catch her breath, and wondered if she was about to pass out

"Deep breath in," she heard "Deep breath out"

Clara stared fro marble floor to the man crouched across from her

It wasn’t Peter

Instead, she saw her friend and neighbor fro beside her, watching, his kind eyes life preservers thrown to a drowning woman She held them

"Deep breath in," he whispered His voice was calm This was their own private crisis Their own private rescue

She took a deep breath in