CHAPTER 22
The splash of water on George’s face woke him, and then he couldn’t breathe. He panicked, feeling a hand clamped over his mouth and nose and woke up completely, struggling to reach it but unable to move. The hand was removed. and he drew big breaths, trying to still his heartbeat.
He opened his eyes cautiously, as if by keeping them closed he could put off what was coming. The reason he couldn’t move became clear. He was strapped into a sort of chair, an open iron framework with arms and a seat. All his clothing had been stripped away.
The panic of immobility and vulnerability returned and drove his current injuries to the back of his mind. He had to force himself not to struggle, not to waste his strength.
It was hard to see since he couldn’t wipe the water from his eyes. A
