“I unscrewed the cap and brought the purple-lined rim to my mouth. Then I almost hacked up a lung. Madeline remained motionless as I struggled for breath.'So what part of this is supposed to be fun?' I asked. 'Just relax,' she said. 'You can't rush the feeling. It takes a few minutes for the alcohol to take effect.' [...] She sat up and picked up the bottle. 'You having fun yet?''Of course. Can't you tell from my labored breathing and the look of pain on my face?”

“What if I have bad breath?' I asked.'Chew on some gum,' she said.'What if I can't find his tongue?''Back off on your tongue until you can feel his.''What if he throws up in my mouth?''Um, that would just be gross.”

“I feel like I’m holding my breath all the time, never knowing when my lungs will just give up. The air we’re supposed to breathe is up above – I can feel it.”

“I can't feel anything," she said, a look of disappointment crossing her features. She was now resting her hand on my belly waiting. Just then I got another round of vibrations from my silver bullet compliments of Tristan. I squirmed around in my chair. "Is it moving again? I can't feel it." "Okay. I've got to get up and walk this off," I said, taking her hand and removing it from my belly. I got up and walked over to the chair she had just vacated, shooting Tristan a dirty look…”

“And that the first time I saw you, now, in the present, you would...take my breath away.""Well." Heat crept up my chest to my face. He looked up at the night sky, peaking his next words so softly I almost couldn't hear them. "You were right.”

“Drink this," she says."What is it?" my throat feels swollen.I swallow hard. "What's going to happen?""Can't tell you that. Just trust me."I press air from my lungs and tip the contents of the vial into my mouth. My eyes close.”