Breathless 2012 Novels & Stories

Her​ breathin‌g be⁠cam‍‌‌e u‌ne‍⁠ven. The space bet​we​en t​hem d‍isa⁠ppeare​d in​c​h by inch, she could fee​l his bre​ath now. H‌er‌ fingers tigh‍tened against‌ his shirt u‌nconsciously a⁠s em‌‍ot‌ions crash‍e‍d ins⁠ide‌ he‌r c⁠he⁠st all at once⁠. Confus​io​n.⁠‌ F‍ear. Longing.

* But no one came. The weight of the silence was unbearable. Suddenly, a piercing scream shattered the air, dragging Alexa out of her despair. Her heart leaped into her throat. She froze, straining her ears. The sound didn’t come again, but a chilling unease crept over her. Panic surged through Alexa as she glanced around the room. Her pulse raced, and her stomach twisted when she realized something was missing—Rahilla’s soft gurgles and coos. “Rahilla?” she called, her voice trembling. There was no response. Fear gripped her like icy hands as she sprinted out of the room and down the stairs, her bare feet pounding against the cold floor.

It hit the floor with a smash before fractured lines appeared on the screen. Desperation colored his voice. "No, it's impossible! Bethany has always been clingy, weak, and terrified of everything. She wouldn't have the courage to end her own life. This has to be some trick you're all playing on me!" Grinding his teeth, he snarled, "Just wait until I find her. I'll teach her a lesson she won't forget!" He spun around and stumbled out the door. His body was swaying as if he had left all sense of reason behind.

Alive. ​She went still. The entire room seemed to hold its breath with her. Just then, Max moved instantly. His hand caught mine before I could tighten my grip. ​“Don’t.” ​One word. Sharp enough to draw blood. ​My gaze lifted to his. There was no hesitation in his eyes. No doubt. No fear. ​“Let go.” ​For a second, I didn’t. ​Then Aria spoke. ​“You don’t get to touch me like that anymore.”

A violent grinding noise exploded beneath them. The emergency brakes engaged. The elevator lurched so violently that both of them were thrown forward. Adrian twisted in midair, shielding Elara with his own body. The elevator slammed to a stop. Silence. Heavy breathing filled the cramped space. For several seconds, neither moved. Finally, Elara whispered, “Are... we alive?” Adrian looked around carefully. “Yes.” She laughed weakly. “That was terrifying.” “You're laughing?” “If I don't laugh, I'll scream.”

“For someone who’s about to lose everything, your ex-husband and his lovely mother sure seem awfully excited.” I smile. “Oh, the reality is about to smack them in the face soon enough. Just keep watching.” “Ladies and gentlemen,” the auctioneer announces, looking thrilled. “The moment of truth is upon us!” The room holds its breath. The man in the booth coughs a few times—his hands and legs still bound as he tries to move. His head, still covered with a black cloth, twitches slightly before he takes a deep breath, as though a sudden wave of strength has washed over him.

And his grunts. Stephen opened his eyes too when he got me not responding. "What happened, Callum "? He was concerned looking into my eyes. "Why don’t I feel the need to breathe"? I asked him. My voice was laced with worry. "Because you are no longer breathing". He replied calmly before claiming my lips again... ************** Stephen POV *********

She looked up, confusion giving way to disbelief. "Then how is this possible?" Leonard held her gaze for a long moment before answering. "They're breathing." A heavy silence settled between them. "They're getting oxygen." Another pause. He lowered his voice. "Their bodies just... aren't using it."

My skin tightens hard enough that my breath catches. Thank you for freeing them, little Queen. Oud. Black saffron. Old incense that clings long after the fire’s gone cold. Now they belong to me. Three hundred people who were breathing their own air one heartbeat ago stop breathing at once. Then their heads turn toward me. Among them is the boy I freed first. His hands are still at his throat. His eyes are cobalt. All of them watching.

I stood by the side of the road for a long time. The clouds were white. The sky was blue. Then I remembered something Mom used to say. "Avery, be kind—but don't be a pushover." Mom, I heard you. Did you see? *** On the flight to Antarctica, I leaned against the window and watched Paragon City shrink beneath the clouds until it vanished into the white. The girl beside me handed over a pack of tissues. "Miss, are you crying?" I touched my face and realized it was wet. "I'm fine." I took the tissues. "Thanks."