Synopsis

The silence stretched, heavy and expectant. A tremor ran through Imogen, escalating into a desperate gasp. Her asthma, a familiar foe, now threatened to overwhelm her entirely. Daniel held her, a desperate anchor against the rising tide of her struggle, willing her breath to find purchase. Minutes blurred, each one an eternity of strained breaths and mounting fear. Then, slowly, the raggedness subsided. The gasps softened. Color returned to Imogen's face. The crisis passed, leaving behind