The blood ran cold in my veins as the heaviness in my stomach grew more corpulent. It felt like someone was reaching up to clasp my throat with the throned wire, tightening it around me. My brain stuttered for a moment and my eyes took in more light than I expected, every part of me went on pause while my thoughts catch up. And it brought a quietness within, a moment to feel my emotions change gear and girder, my soul, for what was to come when a ferocious growl reverberated in front of me and the photos slipped from my sweaty palms to the ground.

I jumped with a...