Into the Starry Night

Twenty-One - Part One

I woke up with a start.

Almost immediately I knew something was wrong.

Sitting up in bed I tried to figure out what it was that made me so uneasy. It was the pain in my chest that finally hinted at what the problem was.

I couldn't breathe.

Air was not entering my lungs through the solid constriction in my throat.

Fear immediately gripped me as I opened my mouth wider to take in a large freeing breath. But nothing came in. I was stuck and I felt the world starting to close in on me.

Scared out of my mind I tried to get up from the bed but my vision immediately went dark and I toppled onto the hardwood floor.

Unable to feel my legs I curled up into a tight ball as I struggled hard to take in oxygen. A cold sweat broke out around my temples and I was certain this was the day I was going to die.

I closed my eyes and focused on trying to breathe but I couldn't think past my growing terror.

Oh God. This is it. This is it finally.

I could hear my dog frantically barking but the sound was muffled and far off.

One by one I could feel all my senses dull until the only thing that was actually working was my wildly racing heart.

"Amara?"

I must've either been in one hell of a daze or losing my goddamn mind because for a second the voice sounded like Daniel's.

But that was not right. First of all, I left Daniel on another continent the day before yesterday. Secondly, why would he have so much concern in his voice? He hated me.

"Amara?" The voice came again. "Oh my God. Amarachi, are you ok?"

I opened my mouth to tell whoever it was that I was on the brink of death but the only thing I could produce was a series of high-pitched gasps.

I shrunk deeper into myself and waited for the sweet relief that was the end. My chest continued to tighten and sweat trickled freely down my back.

It was at that moment that something clamped over my mouth and nose.

"Here," whoever it was that had entered my apartment said. "Breathe into this. Nice and steady. Take your time. It's gonna be ok."

Hanging unto those four words I did as I was told.

I followed the instructions to the soothing touch of someone stroking my hair and before long I was able to get a grip on myself and my runaway mind.

Now my eyelids didn't feel as heavy and I was able to open them.

Ashlee's concerned face and the brown paper bag she held over my face came into focus.

"Oh thank God," she said as she noticed my open eyes. "You scared the shit out of me."

Pushing the hand with the bag away from my face, I slowly sat upright and drew my legs up towards my body. Ashlee sat beside me and for the first time since I'd known her, she didn't immediately barrage me with questions.

"I'm ok," I broke the silence as I petted my dog who'd joined me on the floor. "I don't know what that was."

Ashlee scoffed and adjusted her jean-clad legs in front of her. "That was a panic attack, Amarachi. That means you are definitely not ok. And to pretend otherwise today of all days would be disastrous."

I sighed and pinched the bridge of my nose. This was not what I needed right now.

"What are you doing here, Ashlee?" I asked my publicist.