With ears that felt as though they were stuffed with cotton, the noise around her was muffled, muted, except for the subtle th-thunp th-thump th-thump of a heart’s beat. Nevaeh stared at the canopy of branches above as she concentrated on the sound; they seemed to be shaking in tandem with the inner tremors harrowing her chest and hand, with leaves loosening from their boughs and falling downward like colorful confetti onto her convulsing body.
Was it seconds? minutes? hours? before Aron’s anxious face darted over hers and blocked the skyward view. His lips moved but she couldn’t hear what he was saying. Trying to tell him what was wrong with her was fruitless as it all came out in gulping spurts. Her eyes squinted while watching his lips as she fought to listen, frustration pouri
