Awakening

Chapter 6 - Edited

Breath

It happened fast. Before she could think, she was on her knees covering her chest. She hadn't had this feeling since high school. One single long and hard drilling pain in her chest that forced her to bend over as the seconds went by. Her neck tensed, she couldn't breathe. Amra watched with horror as she crumbled to the floor and next thing she felt was him kneeling behind her. He had not hesitated for even a second.

"Follow my voice. Breathe." He pleaded, slowly wrapping his arms around her from behind and holding her tight. She was shaking and struggling to catch some air.

"Relax your body, and the air will come back. Lay on me. Breathe."

Tears started falling from her eyes as she tried to understand what Amra was saying. A voice that was telling her to relax, but she felt the pain was too strong.

"I am here, I won't let you go until you are better, trust me."

He held her tighter and she noticed how he was gently forcing her to press her back against his chest, making her break her curled pose.

"Give in." He whispered softly.

Her mind suddenly became clearer, even though she kept her eyes closed, she felt as something warm and bright was around her, distending her muscles, softening her own embrace.

"That's it. Slowly. Let it go."

She heard him clearly, and felt her fists opening, her arms slowly lowering, her chest became numb. The pain, so deep and sharp, was disappearing, replaced by a numbness -- a confusing but much more preferable sensation.

"Now... breathe."

She gasped and began to breath heavy and fast. She started to shake and sob, and he held her tight, not letting her go. Her face tilted to the side and pressed against his shoulder as he slowly rocked her back and forth. The air was filling her lungs, giving her back some lucidity. The last time she felt like this, she fainted and woke up at the hospital. Doctors never found anything wrong with her, deciding it was just a panic attack. It happened a few more times, randomly, without any specific reason, but she hadn't felt it in years. And it was never this strong.

She felt very tired after the pain that consumed her. Amra was breathing slowly in her face, and she couldn't open her eyes yet. She might had been better now, and able to stand up and walk some, but he felt so good, she wanted to stay. He lifted a hand to brush some hair away from her face, and with the tip of his fingers touched her tears. She turned her head towards him, and her eyes opened half way. He was looking at his fingertips, rubbing the tears, then looking down at her. She was biting her lip again and he closed his eyes and shook his head.

"Amra... what have you done?!"

She could have possibly turn her head towards him if she wanted to, but she felt too weak. She closed her eyes instead and waited to obtain more strength so she could explain to Pronab what had happened. Amra did not move, but she knew that entering the room to watch them as they were now could lead to misinterpretations.

"We need a doctor, just to make sure."

"A doctor?! What happened?"

"She couldn't breathe. But she is better now."

"For a moment I thought."

"You should know me better."

"I am sorry."

She heard them talk as if she wasn't there, and perhaps they thought she was unconscious. She heard Pronab leave the room and return seconds later, or perhaps minutes? Saying that the medics were coming and he had to let her go. But she didn't want him to let her go, she felt safe and calm where she was, she didn't want to leave so soon. She struggled to open her eyes and looked for Pronab who was kneeling close to them.