She struggled to breathe through the unending flood of offal. Quivering, purple blobs slid over her tongue, were punctured by her teeth, unleashing their foul contents into her lap.

It was everywhere, drowning her.

* * *

The sound of the closing sliding door woke her. She looked up to see Andrew, Ryker, and Nikki on the porch, steaming mugs of coffee on the rail.

Kate ran her tongue over the roof of her mouth and her teeth.

She stuck her fingers in her mouth, probing.

Her fingers were clean. No blood. No bones. No…Jesus, what was that?

Kate shook her head, making herself dizzy. Dizzy was better than that nightmare. The nightmare where she’d…she’d…

It’s already gone, she thought. Thank God.

She looked back out at the porch.

Was that a bandage wrapped around Andrew’s hand?

“Andrew?”

They continued talking, not hearing her. Kate cleared her throat. “Andrew.”

Buttons, who had been on the bed with her, barked once, as if knowing her voice was too weak to make it across the short distance to the porch.

Three heads turned around.

For the briefest of moments, Kate swore Andrew wore a look of pained resignation. He caught her eye and his expression lightened. He smiled and said, “Hey, welcome to the world. You need anything?” He got up and came into the living room.

She pointed at the gauze wrapped around his hand. “What happened?”

He flicked his eyes at the bandage. “It finally happened. I got my feet tangled up in some roots and took a header.”

A spot of blood had soaked through. “Does it hurt?”

“It doesn’t tickle, but I’ll be all right. How are you feeling?”

“Like I was put through a meat grinder.”

There was that look again. And once again, it was gone in a flash. Kate wondered what was on his mind. Had he hurt his hand more than he was letting on?

He put on a smile that seemed a trifle too wide. “It’s a good thing you woke up now. You’re due for some meds. You hungry?”

She shook her head, the simple act sending arcs of pain from her shoulders to her temples. “I just need a little something to drink.”

While he was fishing around in her mason jar, Ryker and Nikki popped in.

“You look worse than me, sis, and you didn’t drink the house dry.” Ryker chuckled, grabbing her toes underneath the sheet.

Kate attempted to sit up and adjust her hair. God, she must look a mess. “You always know what to say.”

Nikki backslapped Ryker’s chest. “You’re such a prat.”

Rubbing his chest, he said, “That’s what little brothers are for, right, Katy?”

She rolled her eyes, unable to stop her smile. “That is true. So, what are you guys up to today?”

Andrew handed her a glass of soda. She washed her pills down.