Nora POV.
When I opened my eyes, I was surrounded by fire.
I was lying on a hospital bed, unable to move my whole body.
And there was a man lying on top of me.
I struggled to reach up and push the man on top of me and was completely frozen as his face came clearly into view.
"Richard! Cough cough ..."
The strong smell of smoke irritated my throat, and I had to cough hard to get comfortable.
I nudged Richard hard again while shouting his name.
"Richard! Wake up!"
But Richard didn't respond.
Somehow, a mysterious force pulled me to test his breathing.
I put my hand under his nose, and there was no breath!
Immediately afterward, I reached for his carotid artery, which was cold and showed no signs of pulsation.
"No, no, no, Richard, wake up! I can't believe you're dying...wake up.
