Voices echoed from one of the closed doors across from the prison. Amir pressed his finger to his lips. He pointed to himself and at the door with the voices. “Sayeed.” Then he handed Dave a gun and pointed down the hall. “Sara Didi.”
Dave stared at the weapon then back at Amir. Although he understood what the man was trying to say, he couldn’t comprehend why the guy thought he was capable of using the gun. Before he had a chance to think further, Amir pushed him down the hall and walked into the occupied room.
Alone with a gun in hand, Dave ran in the direction Amir had directed. When the passageway angled to the right, he paused, unsure of where to go. A lit room in the corner caught his eye. He leaned against the wall, listening. From inside,
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When he moved her face up, one side was perfect while the other was bruised and swollen. Purpled fingerprints formed a C around her mouth.
Dave rested his cheek next to her nose, praying for the warmth of her breath to moisten his skin.
But it didn’t. Stunned, he stayed there with his face pressed to hers, willing her to cough, push him away, something, as the same words whispered inside his brain: It’s too late.
He pressed his fingers to her wrist and searched for the rhythmic thumps of her heart, but his hands shook too hard to get a good read. It didn’t matter, he knew the answer.
Tilting her head back, Dave pinched her nose. He covered her mouth with his and pushed air into her lungs. Her chest rose and fell with each puff. When he stopped blowing, her lungs stopped moving. The voice in his head was becoming louder, making it hard for him to think of anything else.
He slammed his eyes shut, silently screaming to the voice in his head. No, it wasn’t over. There was no way in hell he was giving up.
Straddling her, Dave pushed into her chest.
“Ally. Open your eyes!” he screamed. But she didn’t. Instead, her lids stayed closed and mouth open, while her head moved forward as if nodding with each