Cherish Me, Daddy
Eli’s POV
The darkness was a physical thing, pressing against my chest as if a hand had slipped beneath my ribs and was squeezing. It smelled sweet and rotten, Every breath burned, each exhale felt like I was spitting out a piece of myself that hadn’t even formed yet.
I forced a shallow breath, counting the seconds between inhales. Pain flared. I clenched my jaw. Don’t panic. Panic would make me breathe faster; breathing faster would kill me. I steadied the rhythm: inhale.... slow, measured. Exhale, steady. The air was thick, but at least it was air.