546 No Time Left - Part 5

If you enjoy music while you read, try "Hold Me Now" by Red. It's what I listened to while I was writing this chapter!

*****

RIKA 

His parents left a few minutes later, but Rika barely registered it. Gar had stumbled downstairs from speaking to his mother and thrown himself into her arms. She'd gathered him in, holding him, stroking his back, whispering for him to speak. But he'd barely made a sound until minutes after the door had closed behind his parents and they were truly alone.

His breathing didn't get easier, it got shorter, and faster. And he began to shake.

"Gar?" she whispered, her hands in his hair. "What's—"

"I can't breathe," he said hoarsely, pulling away from her and towards the couch, where he dropped into the seat, and leaned forward, elbows on his knees, hands on the back of his head, sucking at the air like there wasn't enough oxygen in it.