The room suddenly felt very hot and small. She felt like all the air had been sucked out. Her chest felt like someone had stabbed her in the heart. Her stomach lurched. Her mind reeled with images. Kyle on the gurney, her parents freaked out faces when they arrived, Amanda, Charlie, Hilary, Declan, Breen, those people. They were going through her mind over and over, all the sounds around her growing louder and louder. Her hands were shaking and she couldn't make them stop.
She had to get out of there. She had to get away from all of it.
She didn't even know she was running or where to until she got there. Until she saw the lights in the window. Her body ached, her lungs burned. She raced to the door and pounded as hard as she could.
He opened the door and pulled her into his arms. Suddenly tears filled her eyes and she could hear herself telling him everything that had happened. She talked and sobbed and cried into she was so tired she could barely stand up. She could feel him lift her up and carry her into his room, tucking her into his bed, his arms around her as if he would guard her from the monsters. And for a moment she believed him. She believed that everything was going to be all right.