Chapter Twenty-SevenMARKIE
A painful itch has consumed my wrists and it's nearly unbearable. Why can't I open my eyes? My chest is heavy, and I struggle to find air. Only my nose offers intake as I'm unable to open my mouth. Concentrate, Markie, one breath at a time. Coaching myself helps, but only slightly. My eyelids feel weighed down. It's a fight to open them, but eventually I succeed. The room is dimly lit, I've never seen this place before. At first, I can smell lilac and fresh linen, but it doesn't take long for a muggy wave of sweat and stale bean burritos to wash it away. I wiggle my fingers, then my arms and neck. The rest of me is numb.
My eyes roll back, and again it is dark. With a disoriented awareness, I try to make sense of where I am and why I can't move. My mind struggl
