Agonizing pain darkened my vision, nearly suffocating me. I instinctively tried to curl up, but I couldn’t move.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
A flurry of blows rained down on my chest, ribs, and shoulders…
Each strike brought searing pain; I felt as though my organs were shattering inside me.
I tried to open my mouth to scream, to beg for mercy, but the tape sealed it shut.
Pain and suffocation blurred my consciousness.
Finally, one especially heavy blow landed on my head.
The world went black.
I passed out.
Jason, drenched in sweat, was toweling off his forehead.
Suddenly, Emily cracked her door open.
She stepped out, froze when she saw him standing by the bag.
“You’ve been training… didn’t it feel… off somehow?”
Jason stopped mid-motion and turned back.
“Off? Not at all. I actually felt great today.”
Emily stared at the punching bag, which stood perfectly still, showing nothing unusual.
Her tense shoulders relaxed, and she let out a long sigh of relief.
“Nothing, then… Guess she really stormed out of the house in anger.”
“Huh? What’d you say, sis?”
Jason didn’t catch it.
“Nothing!”
Emily shook her head, her voice once again full of irritation.
“Go wash those stinky clothes of yours, they reek!”