I heard the squeak of sneakers, right before the man slammed into me from behind. His choking arm bent my body backward and nearly lifted my feet off the ground. I grabbed his arm with both hands, but there was no give in it.
“Gimme your purse,” he said.
My hands slid down his arm, looking for a weakness. His other arm clamped his wrist, doubling the strength of his hold. I inhaled the slightly musky scent of his deodorant and felt the heat of his body against mine. My heartbeat filled my ears, louder and faster, overpowering the voice that said, Come on, Brennan; you know what to do.
Because I didn’t. I didn’t know what to do. I couldn’t breathe. A field of gray swallowed my peripheral vision and made its way toward the center of my eyes, clouding the world as it moved. My legs grew nu
