The flames surged, casting a bright glow across Lauren's stunned face.
I turned and walked straight into the blizzard without looking back.
The wind cut through me like a blade. Every step was a battle, my whole body shaking so violently my teeth rattled. I kept going until I found an internet cafe that was still open, and begged the owner for a cup of hot water. Only after I drank it did the feeling start returning to my fingers.
But within minutes, my eyelids grew impossibly heavy. I slumped forward and passed out.
Somewhere in the haze, I felt hands on me.
I forced my eyes open and found myself staring into the owner's greasy, bloated face.
The cafe that had been buzzing with people just moments ago was completely empty now. The metal security shutter had been pulled down over the entrance.
The owner leered at me.
"Hey there, pretty boy. Out here all alone this late at night. Nowhere to go, huh?"
"Poor little thing. Let me take care of you."
The water. He'd put something in the water.
Terror crashed over me like a wave.
I bit down on my tongue, hard, forcing myself awake through the searing pain.