Lemme See That #2

 Sneak peek into a supernatural medical mystery

Part 2 of why sneak peeks are important

Read part 1 here

2. Connection:

Meeting characters before committing

A sneak peek lets readers “test‑drive” the world, voice, and characters.

If they feel even a small spark of connection, they’re far more likely to keep going.

https://books2read.com/u/3nk6V6

Chapter Three

Enjoying the fresh air and her ability to breathe freely again without feeling the suffocating tightness in her chest, Remi strolled through the garden. The full moon hung like a glowing orb in the sky, illuminating the sloping hillside in the distance with a soft, silver glow, creating a peaceful and serene atmosphere.

The distant murmur of her aunt’s voice through the open window in the kitchen provided a soothing soundtrack to her walk, but she couldn't quite make out her words. It was like a radio playing in the background, just loud enough to be heard but too muffled to understand. She kicked off her slippers and with each step, the cool grass tickled her bare feet, sending pleasant shivers up her legs. She gazed up at the endless expanse of stars above dreamily, wondering what secrets they held.

Out of nowhere, a searing pain shot through Remi's head, causing her to stumble forward in disorientation. Her vision blurred and distorted as she attempted to shake off the sudden assault.

But then, just as quickly as it had come, the pain vanished, and Remi's senses sharpened to an almost superhuman level. She could hear every word her aunt was saying with astonishing clarity, despite being more than fifty yards away.

Her heart raced as she listened to her aunt's voice talking to her mother on the phone. "Yes, she's fine," Emily said. "She's taking a stroll in the garden. I can see her from the window. Yes, I got rid of the cat. And tonight, we'll be staying in the guesthouse."

Remi couldn't help but smile at her aunt's determined tone. As the conversation continued, Remi stood there in awe, still processing the fact that she could hear Emily’s voice so clearly from such a distance.

But when she heard her mother’s reply on the phone, she froze. “Okay, just keep a close eye on her and make sure she takes her medications.”

How could this be happening? I can hear Mom’s voice as if she was standing next to me!

The sound of crickets chirping, nightbirds singing their sharp, short tunes, and owls hooting with deafening clarity amplified Remi’s panic as she cried out in confusion and fear, “What is happening to me?”

She shook her head, trying to make it stop, and clamped her hands to her ears, unable to comprehend what was happening. “I’m losing it! I’m totally losing my mind,” she cried out. “I’m schizophrenic! Yes, that’s it. I’m hearing voices.” The realization filled her with sheer panic. Her legs felt weak, she had to sit down. But wait! She thought. I’m only sixteen. I read in Mom’s medical books that schizophrenia usually shows the first symptoms much later. Then what is it? “What a...” Remi jumped when she heard a new voice. “Dad, why didn’t I change? Dr Schwarz said it would happen, but I still feel as lousy as always.”

“I’m hallucinating!” Remi cried out and turned around frantically searching. “I hear the boy’s voice I met in the ER. I’m a nutcase, that’s for sure.” Scared out of her mind, Remi started running toward the house and stopped in her tracks when she spotted a man pushing a wheelchair on the footpath that separated her aunt’s land from the neighbor’s property. She heard the man’s voice. “I don’t know, son. I spoke to Dr. Schwartz, he said to wait until the morning and call him if there are still no changes.”

“Let’s go back, Dad. I don’t feel good.”

“Sorry, son. Let’s get you in bed and the doctor will figure out in the morning what went wrong.”

Remi stood motionless watching them as the man turned the wheelchair around with the boy. I can hear them! That’s Konrad and his father, and they’re far away. Why can I hear their conversation so clearly? She rubbed her forehead. This is madness! “Okay, calm down!” she said out loud and took a couple of deep breaths. “I’m sure there’s a reasonable explanation for all this. I'll go inside.”

She felt the rush of air hitting her face and suddenly, she was standing by the door, as if she had been teleported there. Her heart raced with fear and confusion as she cried out, "What is happening? How did I get here?" She turned back to where she had been just a moment before, estimating the distance to be about two hundred yards. "I was just over there...now I'm here." She stood by the door in disbelief, trying to make sense of what had just occurred when she spotted the man and the boy in a wheelchair. “They didn't seem to have moved an inch!” she cried out and frantic thoughts ran through her mind. Why can I see them so clearly? I can see Konrad’s oxygen tube in his nose and hear his oxygen generator humming. It’s impossible! I need to think this over before I completely lose my mind. She decided and opened the door.

Emily stood by the sink washing dishes. “How was your...” She stopped, alarmed by Remi’s bewildered expression. “What’s wrong?” she asked wiping her hands on her apron.

“Nothing!” Remi replied quickly, trying to force a smile. “I was running all the way back, and I’m not even out of breath," she lied. "I’m feeling fine, don’t worry. I think I’m going to read for a while.” She said and started walking toward the door before Emily could question her further. But then, in her mind, she heard her aunt’s voice. Something is wrong! I know it. The way she looked at me, it was as if... as if... I can’t put my finger on it, but she’s acting strange.

Remi turned back and opened her mouth to speak when she noticed with alarm that Emily was staring at her with great concern. Despite her mouth being closed, Remi heard her aunt’s voice in her mind. I guess it’s because of all that medication they gave her. Poor little angel! Why do kids have to suffer from diseases? Her worried expression changed to a loving smile as Emily spoke, “You didn’t eat any dessert after dinner. Cathy brought over homemade pudding. Would you like to eat some?”

“No, thanks. Dinner was delicious, and I’m still full. I’m going to read for a while. Good night, Authy Em.”

“Good night, dear. “I’m going to bed in a minute too. I only took a short nap today, and I’m exhausted.”

Remi hurried to her room, thinking. I heard her talking, with my ears and I saw her mouth moving. But now, she just stared at me with her mouth closed but I heard her voice in my mind... It’s insanity! Could it be that... nah, it’s impossible! How could I hear someone’s thoughts?

With a heavy sigh, she closed the door to her bedroom and settled onto her bed. Her fingers trembled as she opened her laptop, the bright screen casting a soft glow in the dark room. “Okay, calm down!” she urged herself, trying to push away the panic rising within her.

Her thoughts raced as she typed “mind-reading” into the search bar and clicked on the first result. Her eyes scanned the definition: “Mind-reading can be based on scientific techniques, such as interpreting body language, facial expressions, and tone of voice. It's a skill that can be learned and honed.”

But that wasn't it. She hadn't seen their body language or expressions when she heard their voices. Could it be telepathy instead?

Her fingers flew across the keyboard, typing out the word and hitting enter. A new definition appeared: “Telepathy refers to direct communication between minds without using the usual sensory channels (like speech or writing). It's often called mental communication. Telepathy is considered supernatural because it lacks a scientific or logical explanation. It's associated with extrasensory perception.”

A bitter laugh escaped her lips as she read. Lack of science and logic was definitely one way to describe what she was experiencing.

In Hungarian

https://books2read.com/u/mYeLVp

Harmadik fejezet

Remi élvezve a friss levegőt és azt, hogy újra szabadon lélegezhetett anélkül, hogy érezte volna a fojtogató szorítást a mellkasában. Ráérősen sétált a kerten. A telihold izzó gömbként ragyogott a felhőtlen égen, ezüstös fénnyel világította meg a távoli lejtős domboldalt, békés és nyugodt légkört teremtve.

Nagynénje mormolása a konyha nyitott ablakán keresztül nyugtatóan hatott, de Remi nem tudta pontosan kivenni a szavait. Olyan volt, mint egy rádió hangja a háttérben, éppen elég hangos ahhoz, hogy hallható legyen, de túl halk ahhoz, hogy megértse a szavakat. Remi lerúgta a papucsát, élvezte a hűvös fű csiklandozó érzését mezítelen talpán. Álmodozva bámult fel a ragyogó csillagokra, és azon tűnődött, milyen titkokat rejtenek.

Hirtelen éles, perzselő fájdalom hasított Remi fejébe, amitől zavartan előre botorkált. Látása elhomályosodott és eltorzult. Felnyögött a fájdalomtól és ijedten masszírozta a homlokát, majd megrázta a fejét. De aztán ugyanolyan gyorsan, ahogy jött, a fájdalom eltűnt, és Remi érzékei szinte emberfeletti szintre éleződtek. Elképesztő tisztasággal hallotta a nagynénje minden szavát, annak ellenére, hogy több mint ötven méterre volt a kis háztól.

A szíve hangosan dübörgött mellkasában, ahogy zaklatottan hallgatta nagynénje hangját, amint az anyjával beszél telefonon. – Igen, jól van – mondta Emily. – Sétál a kertben. Ne aggódj, látom őt az ablakból. Igen, megszabadultam a macskától. Ma este pedig a vendégházban alszunk amig a házat alaposan kitakarítják. –

Remi nem tudta megállni, hogy el ne mosolyodjon nagynénje határozott hangját hallgatva. Ahogy a beszélgetés folytatódott, Remi megrendülve állt a hűvös fűben, és próbált magyarázatot találni arra, hogy ilyen tisztán hallotta Emily hangját ilyen messziről.

De, amikor meghallotta édesanyja válaszát a telefonban, megdermedt. – Kérlek tartsd rajta a szemed, és figyelmeztesd, hogy bevegye a gyógyszereit. –

Remi megrázta a fejét, és a füléhez szorította a kezét, nem tudta felfogni, mi történik. – Megbolondultam! Teljesen elvesztettem az eszem – suttogta. – Skizofrén vagyok! Igen, ez az. Hangokat hallok és hallucinálok. –  A felismerés pánikba kergette. A lábai elgyengültek, le kellett ülnie. De várjunk csak! – gondolta. Még csak tizenhat éves vagyok. Anya orvosi könyveiben olvastam, hogy a skizofrénia általában sokkal később jelentkezik az első tünetekkel. Akkor mi ez? – Remi felugrott, amikor új hangot hallott.

– Apa, mi lehet az oka annak, hogy a kezelés után szinte semmi változás nem történt? Dr. Schwarz azt mondta, hogy várjunk ma estig, de még mindig ugyanolyan pocsékul érzem magam, mint mindig. –

– Semmi kétség. Hallucinálok! – motyogta a feldúlt lány, és kétségbeesetten megfordult. – Hallom a fiú hangját, akivel a sürgősségi osztályon találkoztam. Őrült vagyok, az már biztos. – Rémülten futni kezdett a ház felé, és megállt, amikor megpillantott egy magas férfit, aki egy tolókocsiban ülő fiút tolt a gyalogúton, amely elválasztotta nagynénje kertjét a szomszédétól. Most meghallotta a férfi hangját. – Nem tudom, fiam. Beszéltem Dr. Schwartzcal, azt mondta, hogy várjunk reggelig, és hívjam fel, ha még mindig nincs változás. –

– Menjünk vissza a házba, apa. Nem érzem jól magam. –

– Végtelenül sajnálom, fiam. Legjobb lesz, ha pihensz, és reggel majd beszélünk az orvossal. –

Remi mozdulatlanul állt, és figyelte őket, ahogy a férfi megfordította a kerekesszéket a fiúval. Tiszta őrület. Hallom őket! Ez Konrád és az apja, és messze vannak. Miért hallom ilyen tisztán a beszélgetésüket? Megdörzsölte a homlokát. – Oké, nyugi, nyugi! – mondta hangosan, és vett néhány mély lélegzetet. – Biztos vagyok benne, hogy van ésszerű magyarázat mindenre. Bemegyek. –

Szélfúvást érzett az arcán, és hirtelen az ajtó mellett állt, mintha oda teleportálták volna. Szíve a félelemtől és zavartól gyorsan dobogott, majd hirtelen felkiáltott: – Mi történik? Hogyan kerültem ide? –  Visszafordult oda, ahol egy pillanattal korábban állt, és körülbelül kétszáz méterre becsülte a távolságot. – Éppen ott voltam... most itt vagyok. –  Hitetlenkedve állt az ajtó előtt, és próbálta megérteni, mi történt, amikor meglátta a férfit és a fiút kerekesszékben. – Ők egy centit sem mozdultak! – mormogta, és eszeveszett gondolatok futottak át az agyán. Miért látom őket ilyen tisztán? Látom Konrád oxigéncsövét az orrában, és hallom az oxigéngenerátor zümmögését. Ez lehetetlen! Át kell gondolnom ezt, mielőtt teljesen elvesztem az eszem. – Mélyeket lélegzett, és kinyitotta az ajtót.

Emily a mosogató mellett állt, és megfordult egy tányérral a kezében, amikor meghallotta Remi lépteit. – Milyen volt... – Megállt, megriadva Remi zavarodott arckifejezésétől. – Mi a baj? – kérdezte, miközben megtörölte a kezét a kötényében.

– Semmit! – Remi gyorsan válaszolt, és kényszeredetten elmosolyodott. – Egész úton futottam, és még csak nem is vagyok kifulladva – hazudta. – Jól érzem magam, ne aggódj. Azt hiszem, olvasni fogok amig elálmosodom. – mondta, és elindult az ajtó felé, mielőtt Emily tovább kérdezhette volna. De aztán gondolatban meghallotta nagynénje hangját. Valami nincs rendben! Tudom. Ahogy rám nézett, olyan volt, mint... mintha... Nem tudom, de furcsán viselkedik.

Remi visszafordult, és kinyitotta a száját, hogy beszéljen, amikor riadtan vette észre, hogy Emily aggodalommal mered rá. Annak ellenére, hogy a szája csukva volt, Remi tisztán hallotta a nagynénje hangját az elméjében.  Azt hiszem, ez a sok gyógyszer miatt van, amit adtak neki. Szegény kis angyal! Miért kell a gyerekeknek betegségekben szenvedniük? Aggódó arckifejezése szeretetteljes mosolyra változott, amikor megkérdezte: – Vacsora után nem ettél desszertet. Cathy házi pudingot hozott. Szeretnél enni egy kicsit? –

– Nem, köszönöm. A vacsora finom volt, és még mindig tele vagyok. Olvasok egy darabig. Jó éjszakát, Emi néni. –

– Jó éjszakát, drágám. Pár perc múlva én is lefekszem. Ma csak egy rövidet szunyókáltam, és fáradt vagyok. –

Remi elgondolkodva sietett a szobájába. Hallottam, ahogy beszél, a fülemmel, és láttam, hogy mozog a szája. De most csak csukott szájjal nézett rám, de hallottam a hangját a fejemben... Ez őrület! Lehet, hogy... Nem, ez lehetetlen! Hogyan hallhatnám valakinek a gondolatait? Nagyot sóhajtott, becsukta a hálószobája ajtaját, és letelepedett az ágyára. Ujjai remegtek, amikor kinyitotta a laptopját, a fényes képernyő lágy fényt vetett a sötét szobára. – Oké, nyugodj meg! – sürgette magát, és megpróbálta elnyomni a benne feltámadó pánikot.

Gondolatai sebesen száguldoztak, amikor beírta a – gondolatolvasás – szót a keresősávba, és rákattintott az első találatra. Szeme a definíciót pásztázta: – A gondolatolvasás tudományos technikákon alapulhat, mint például a testbeszéd, az arckifejezések és a hangszín értelmezése. Ez egy olyan készség, amelyet el lehet sajátítani és gyakorlattal finomítani.

De nem ez volt az. Amikor nagynénje, anyja, Konrád, és az apja hangját hallotta, nem látta őket. Lehet, hogy inkább telepátia?

Ujjai cikáztak a billentyűzeten, begépelte a szót, és megnyomta az mehet billentyűt. Megjelent egy új definíció: – A telepátia az elmék közötti közvetlen kommunikációra utal a szokásos érzékszervi csatornák (például beszéd vagy írás) használata nélkül. Gyakran mentális kommunikációnak nevezik. A telepátiát természetfelettinek tekintik, mert nincs tudományos vagy logikai magyarázata. Ez az extraszenzoros észleléshez kapcsolódik.

Keserű nevetés hagyta el az ajkát, miközben olvasott. A tudomány és a logika hiánya határozottan az egyik módja annak, hogy körülírja azt, ami velem történik.

https://www.authorerikamszabo.com

Erika M Szabo is known for her diverse range of writings, which span historical fantasy, magical realism, cozy mysteries, sweet romance, and children's literature. Her writing style is both expressive and insightful, transporting readers into the depths of the characters' emotions.

Read a Chapter Month 4

 Medical fantasy/thriller

EBOOK

Is she willing to pay the price?

Remi's chest painfully constricted as she struggled to breathe. Rushed to the hospital, she received a mysterious treatment due to a medical error, which miraculously stopped the asthma attack and restored her breathing. While she felt healthier than ever before, along with this shocking recovery came strange abilities, and this miraculous treatment may have a price that she’s not willing to pay.

“This book contains no AI‑generated writing. All text was created by the author.”

Read a Chapter

The flashing lights of the ambulance illuminated the night as it came to a stop at the entrance of the bustling hospital. The doors flew open, and they wheeled in Remi on a stretcher.

A kind-looking nurse with blonde hair approached them with a warm smile. “Hello, dear, my name is Anna,” she introduced herself before leading them to Bed B.

With gentle hands and a sense of urgency, they carefully transferred Remi onto the bed as Anna immediately began assessing her condition. She listened intently to her lungs, checking for any signs of distress.

As Anna worked, the paramedic gave his report, and she quickly started an IV line in Remi's hand. Meanwhile, a nurse's aide unhooked Remi’s oxygen tube from the tank, connected the tube to the central connection, and attached the cardiac monitor electrodes to her chest.

The heavy curtain that separated the beds was suddenly pulled aside with a loud swoosh. In its place stood a tall man with thick, salt-and-pepper hair. He swept his gaze across the small cubicle before fixing his attention on Remi. Introducing himself as Dr. Schwarz, he took note of the discarded nebulizer pipe lying on her bed before directing his piercing blue eyes to her face and hands. “Let me listen to your lungs,” he said in a no-nonsense tone, holding out his stethoscope.

Remi nodded weakly and struggled to sit up, wincing at the sharp pain in her chest. The doctor placed the cold metal against her skin and listened intently to her lung sounds, his brow furrowing in concern. After a moment, he asked, “How long have you been dealing with asthma?”

“Since...as far back as I can remember,” Remi gasped out between ragged breaths, beads of sweat forming on her forehead. “I take preventive medications and usually use my nebulizer during sudden attacks, but I didn’t have any solution and the inhaler didn’t help.”

The doctor's expression turned sympathetic as he nodded understandingly. “We'll get you taken care of,” he assured her before turning to the nurse.

“It’s my fault!” Emily informed the doctor with tears in her eyes. “Remi is staying with me while her parents are in South America with Doctors Without Borders, and I didn’t know she’s allergic to cats.”

“It’s okay,” Dr. Schwarz spoke in a soothing voice. “We’ll make her better, but I’m afraid, you need to get rid of your cat.”

“It’s not mine, just cat-sitting for a friend, but I’m going to call my other friends right now. I’m sure one of them will take the cat,” Emily said and pulled out her cell phone. “I’ll be in the waiting room,” she flashed a nervous smile at the young girl and hurried out of the room.

The doctor turned to the nurse. “Anna, let’s give her 125 Solumedrol, hook her up for continuous nebulizer, and get a portable chest X-ray as well.”

The nurse nodded and left the room. The doctor smiled, pulled the curtain that separated Remi’s room from bed C, and greeted the patient. “Hi Konrad, are you ready?”

“Yes,” sounded a young boy’s voice.

The doctor stopped for a second, thinking, and then turned back to Remi. “Do you speak German by any chance?” he asked.

Caught off guard by the unexpected question, Remi hesitated before responding. Despite having learned the language from her nanny since she was a toddler until high school, she decided against admitting it upon seeing the doctor's peculiar expression.

“No, but I speak French,” she replied.

“Never mind, I just thought... because of your last name, Hansen,” he mumbled, stepping out of the room and pulling the curtain closed behind him.

That was strange. Why did he ask me if I speak German? Perhaps he doesn’t want me to know what they’re talking about in the next cubicle. Remi wondered, listening to the conversation coming from behind the curtain.

“Are you sure you want it done this way?” Dr. Schwarz asked, speaking in German, and continued. “Don’t worry, the girl in that bed doesn’t understand the language.”

Remi heard a boy's and an older-sounding man’s voices answering, “Yes, we definitely want the treatment.” And the older voice continued. “My son is sixteen, and with cystic fibrosis and a rare blood type, finding a cure or donor is close to impossible. He might have a year left. But with your treatment, he could live a full, healthy life.”

She heard the doctor’s sigh, as he said, “I want to make sure you understand what will happen after the treatment.”

Konrad assured the doctor, “We thought it over very carefully what you said, and I fully understand the benefits. And...” he hesitated. “And I accept the obligation that comes with your treatment as well.”

“We took the necessary precautions as you instructed, and his handler will arrive tomorrow to discuss more details with us. Everything is ready,” The older man said.

“Okay, I’ll be back in a minute,” the doctor replied.

Remi wondered what that treatment was. Poor Konrad. He’s my age, and it sounds like he doesn’t have long to live. That’s terrible. Remi thought, feeling so much empathy for the boy. But why didn’t the doctor say medication or something specific? He repeated the German word behandlung, which means treatment. And because we’re in the hospital, it must be medical treatment.

***

The nurse felt sorry for Remi. Poor kid, only sixteen. She knows what it means to gasp for air. And the boy in bed C... why must young kids suffer like that? she thought bitterly, entering the med room. She pulled the drawer open, grabbed a syringe, and then took out a small box from the medication cabinet that was labeled Solumedrol 125 mg. She poked the needle through the rubber cap, drew the liquid from the small bottle, and then injected it into the other bottle with white powder in it. She mixed it well and drew the clear liquid back into the syringe.

***

Meanwhile, Dr. Schwarz entered bed C with a prepared syringe in his hand. "You never told me why a simple IV injection couldn't be administered at home," the boy’s father said, his voice laced with worry.

Dr. Schwarz sighed, his face a mask of solemnity. "As I told you," He began, "his heart will stop for a few seconds after I give him the treatment. Therefore, I will turn off the alarm to prevent any unnecessary commotion from the code team rushing into the room. Ideally, his heart should restart on its own, but there is always the possibility that it will not, and we will have to restart it. This is why I need the code team close by, and this is why I need to do this in the hospital."

A tense silence hung in the air as father and son processed this information. The steady beeping of the monitor seemed to grow louder, filling the small hospital room with an eerie sense of fear and anticipation as the doctor reached up, turned the heart monitor off, and picked up the syringe.

“Doctor Schwartz to bed A STAT!” The urgent voice through the intercom stopped his movement. He put the syringe back on the bedside table, wrenched the curtain between the cubicles, and nearly knocked the nurse off her feet by pushing the table out of the way. “Sorry,” he yelled, and to get to Bed A faster, he ran across Reni’s cubicle, yanking the curtain that separated her bed from Bed A.

Anna's hand trembled as she clutched the syringe, her heart racing. With a sharp inhale, she dropped the syringe onto the table, not caring about closing the curtain between the two beds. She didn't waste any time as she sprinted after the doctor.

“Hi,” the skinny, sick-looking young boy with an Oxygen tube coiled over his face smiled at Remi. “What a commotion, huh? I’m Konrad by the way.” He greeted Remi in English.

“Hi, Konrad, I’m Remi. Yes, typical ER buzz,” she smiled back.

“You’re not from around here,” he said. I haven’t seen you before.”

“No, I live in the Bronx. I’m just staying with my aunt for a few weeks.”

“Nice to meet you, Remi,” Konrad said. Maybe we’ll see each other again. It’s such a small town, I’m sure we’ll bump into each other.”

“Yeah, it’s small, but I love it here. The mountains are so beautiful.”

“See you around,” Konrad said when he spotted the nurse walking toward Remi’s bed.

“Are you ready?” Anna asked Remi as she reached for the bedside table and picked up the syringe. She closed the curtain between the beds.

Remi was familiar with the effects of steroids. When Anna injected the medication into her IV line, she was expecting a headrush and a feeling of warmth all over her body. But this time she felt something different. As soon as the medication entered her bloodstream, she felt a pleasant tingling in her body as it spread. She was curious and followed the spread of the drug from her hand to her arm then to her chest, head, belly, and then her legs. She felt warm, but not as much as other times.

Before she could ask why it felt different than other times, they heard another urgent intercom call and Anna ran out of the cubicle. Remi felt drawn and tired. The tingling passed quickly, and she started to feel better. Taking a careful deep breath, she happily noticed that the tightness of her chest had completely eased up, although it was unusual for the medication to take effect so fast, she was happy to feel the almost instant relief.

“Is everything all right with that patient?” Remi heard Konrad’s voice from the next bed, speaking German.

“He’ll be okay, don’t worry,” the doctor replied. “Let’s get your treatment going. Are you ready?”

“I’m as ready as I’d ever be,” Konrad said, his voice sounding cheerful but with an undertone of worry.

Remi heard the light rustling of bedsheets and the doctor’s voice. “All in. Now, we wait. It takes a few minutes before your heart stops. Don’t worry, it’s not going to feel too bad.”

Emily entered the cubicle and plopped down on the chair. “How do you feel?” she asked Remi.

“Surprisingly well,” Remi mused, taking off the nebulizer mask, smiling. “I don’t even need this anymore; my breathing is so good that I could run a marathon.”

“Thank God!” Emily sighed. “I was so worried and so sorry. It was my fault.”

“Please don’t worry, Aunty Em! You didn’t know. Cat dander is not on my allergy list because we didn’t know either.”

“Well, there is some good news. Cathy, from my volunteer group, is picking up Midnight today. She will care for the cat until Marley is in the hospital, and we’ll stay in the guest house until I arrange a thorough cleaning of the main house. The cleaning company is great, they will get rid of every piece of dust and cat dander in the house.”

Thank you!” Remi smiled at her aunt when suddenly, she felt a painful thud in her chest as if her heart flipped and bumped against her ribs. Everything turned dark in front of her eyes, and her mind sank into nothingness.

The loud alarm of the monitor made Emily jump, and she frantically scanned the screen which showed a flat line instead of the rhythmic heartbeat. She pulled the curtain open and screamed. “Help! Somebody help us, her heart stopped!”

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